


Little Lottie He Whispered

by GreenEyedSinisterPants



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Battle of New York (Marvel), Confused Thor, Crisis of Faith, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Follows the first Avengers movie, Follows the second Thor movie kind of, Gentleman Captain America, Gentleman Steve Rogers, Hawkeye doesn't like to share, Hawkeye-centric, Heterochromia, I only kind of follow the first Avengers movie and the first two Thor movies, I'll add more tags once I can come up with them, I'm Bad At Tagging, Loki-centric, Love, M/M, Magic, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Not quite an AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phil Coulson is my favorite Avenger, Pining, Pining Hawkeye, Post-Battle of New York (Marvel), Post-Serum Steve Rogers, SHIELD, SHIELD agent OC, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, Stanner, Stark Tower, Temporarily Unrequited Love, The rest is a form of AU in the sense that the other movies don't matter, Threesome - F/M/M, Threesome if you squint, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Uses a lot of Marvel universe info but made to fit my own design, dream walking, ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:36:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7579666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenEyedSinisterPants/pseuds/GreenEyedSinisterPants
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some people have faith.<br/>Some people do not.<br/>Some people are touched by the Gods.<br/>Some people are not.</p><p>Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.<br/>Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.<br/>Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.</p><p>The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.<br/>Or so she thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Huah!”

“Again!”

“Huah!”

“Again!”

“Huah!”

“Drop your elbow more. Again!”

“Huah!”

“Good! Much better Agent Fj-, Fee-...” Agent Hill fumbled as she wiped sweat off her brow.

“Fjerstad,” Alotte Fjerstad corrected before gulping down water.

“Fjer-,” Agent Hill stumbled again as she went for her own water.

“Fjerstad. Fee-ur-stad,” Alotte sounded out so her superior could get it.

“Fjerstad. Yeah, I’m never going to get it correct,” Agent Hill exasperated defeatedly before starting to stretch out her legs.

“I was wondering why you went all formal on me all of a sudden and tried pronouncing my last name Maria. Usually you call me Lottie like everyone else. I can’t remember the last time I heard myself being referred to as _Agent_ either,” Alotte chuckled as she went about starting her own stretches.

“Things are going to change around here soon, things are in the making. And there may need to come a time when formality is needed. You may have been practically raised here, and no one may be able to pronounce your last name, but things are different now at SHIELD. Things have changed in the world, new things have come to light and yes you may have to be referred to as _Agent_ now,” Maria chuckled at the end as she tried to lighten the mood of her speech.

“I think I can handle it when it happens. And I promise not to laugh out loud when people stumble over my last name” Alotte replied with a roll of her eyes and a smirk as she started packing up her gym bag.

“I’m pretty sure there is _no_ one outside your home town or country that could pronounce your name,” Maria scoffed as she packed up her own bag.

“And besides, I’ve seen Captain America. I’ve read his files and sat through one of Phil’s speeches. After that, what could be more different?” Alotte questioned as she headed towards the door.

“You stick to making Agent Barton’s arrows blow up and working on keeping your elbow down on your Yoko Geri’s and I’ll stick to SHIELD changes,” Maria chuckled as she held the door open for Alotte.

“Aye, aye Captain!” Alotte mock saluted as she passed through the held doorway.

**-xXx-**

“Keep it real Queen B, keep it real!” a familiar voice chuckled at the other end of the hall. 

Alotte shook her head as she went back over the paperwork and schematics she had in her hands as she paused in the hallway of the helicarrier. Things were astir, SHIELD was under attack from some outside force no one would explain to her, Agent Barton was working for the other side and more super beings than she could shake a fist at were swarming the helicarrier. And yet there was Tony Stark just down the hall calling Agent Maria Hill ‘Queen B’ of all things and joking like nothing was going on! Alotte had to stop and pause in her mental frustration to breathe and look down at her paperwork again. She couldn’t remember what she was doing with them at the moment, who else needed schematics for Agent Barton’s new arrows other than him? And if he was voodooed over to the dark side that sort of made her job obsolete. 

Starting to unravel all over again Alotte nervously started tucking her hair behind her ears, first the green on the left and then the purple on the right. It helped calm her almost as much as the holy charms she wore under her clothes between her breasts. Tiny charms representing certain gods of the pantheon her family still worshiped. As Alotte breathed slowly in through her nose and out her mouth, a hand to her pendants, a commotion broke out at the far end of the hallway from her. Lots of shouting bodies all crammed together as they tried to make their way down the hall as one. There was lots of shouting, arm flailing and posturing as only Agents could. And there in the middle of it all, standing taller than the rest was a golden haired male who looked to have stepped out of a statue. 

As his profile got closer to Alotte flashes of photos passed through her memory, images she had seen of this exquisitely tall god of a man in SHIELD files but that’s all she could remember. No name, no rank, no nothing. All her clearance had allowed her had been images. Surely this man couldn’t be more important than Captain America? As he got closer and closer there was something about his face and demeanor that was striking something inside Alotte, something about the way he spoke and postured himself. As the crowd and the golden man got closer Alotte felt frozen to the spot, like she had lost control of her body and couldn’t move from her spot against the wall.

“ _Thor! Thor!”_ people kept throwing about as they got closer.

 _“Thor? It couldn’t be, could it? It wasn’t possible was it? It had to be someone else using the God of Thunder’s name!”_ Alotte thought to herself as countless files zipped through her photographic mind’s eye. File after file until the words ‘New Mexico’ kept repeating. There _had_ been some sort of incident not too long ago that had happened in New Mexico that had caught SHIELD’s attention but Alotte had been too busy to pay attention. Not to mention it was above her clearance level and she had been up to her eyeballs with a new design for exploding arrow tips for Agent Barton at the time. It must have involved this tall statuesque man and that’s why he looked so familiar. Right? As he and the swarm of Agents surrounding him approached where Alotte was standing she finally got a good look at the golden man’s face and something inside her chest resonated, vibrated with a feeling of truth and of _home_. Alotte felt light headed, like she may pass out. The blond man stopped directly in front of Alotte and instead of passing he looked her dead in the eyes and Alotte wished for nothing more than the floor to swallow her whole.

“I know those features. Where do you hail from pretty blonde girl?” the blonde man people were calling Thor boomed at Alotte.

“Norway, your holi- err, sir,” Alotte stammered as recognition and truth hit her in the gut.

“Ahh Norway, I know of this place. And do they still speak of me where you are from?” Thor asked with a grin that looked to swallow his entire face.

“In myths, legends and in stories mostly. But my family and I we still offer our prayers to the old gods, offer our sacrifices of goat, harvest and mead and take the blood markings. We’re a little old fashioned that way I guess,” Alotte admitted, blushing slightly as she addressed one of the Gods her family has always worshiped and prayed to! Never did she believe they were _**REAL**_ in this sense, let alone that she would see one face to face. A god, a real honest to goodness God. Alotte thought she was going to pass out. Or vomit.

“Ha HAA!” Thor boomed with laughter. “It is good to see the people remember us still. What is your name little lady of Norse?”

“Alotte Fjerstad, but most people call me Lottie as it’s easier for them to pronounce.”

“Well Alotte Fjerstad you and I shall share mead next I am free! More tales you shall have to tell your family of the God Thor!” Thor boomed as he slapped Alotte on the back, nearly knocking her over, before allowing the Agents to swallow him whole and whisk him away down the hall and onto the main deck or somewhere else.

Once Thor and the Agents had passed Alotte she forgot her previous mission and beelined it for the nearest bathroom. Once inside she locked the door, her papers and files falling to the floor as she raced to the bathroom’s mirror. Her face, he said he had recognized her face. As Alotte stared at her reflection she couldn’t see anything outstanding about it. She had typical strong Norwegian features, a rectangular face with high rounded cheekbones and almond shaped eyes that slanted to the outer edge. Her ash blonde hair wasn’t much to write home about, typical of most Norwegians. The only thing that stuck out about her appearance was the Heterochromia that affected the color of her eyes, making one blue and one green. And then there was the streak of green on the left side of her head and the purple on the right. Those were the only things that made her stand out, but maybe it was the traditional nondescript Norwegian set to her features that made her recognizable. At least to Thor.

“Thor,” Alotte breathed out against the glass in front of her, hoping that by saying it out loud it would be more believable. But it just brought more questions to mind, if he was real then were the others as well? How did one pray to a man who was just down the hall?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

There had been buzz all over the Helicarrier, a prisoner had been captured and brought on board. Someone of importance, someone who by the sounds of it was in charge of this whole mess we had been thrown into! Alotte had been helping inventory weapons when a commotion had broken out and people had rushed towards the door.

“Loki! They captured Loki! We might have won!” people and Agents were shouting as they bottle-necked out the single doorway.

Loki? As in Thor’s brother? _HE_ was the bad guy we had been worrying about? All of that mayhem and destruction, all the killing and the taking over of people’s minds? The one who had taken Barton from us? _That’s_ who we had been hunting down for the Tesseract? That didn’t make any sense. Not that he existed, for the existence of Thor had changed a lot of things in Alotte’s mind. Like the idea that the old Gods her family still worshiped in fact were real and at least one of them was inhabiting the same craft as her. But the fact the he, Loki, was this “evil” so to speak everyone had been talking about... That was _not_ the Loki she had been brought up on, raised on. Interest peaked Alotte made her way with the rush of people to the hallway to possibly catch a glimpse of the man who had caused them all so much grief and pain.

Surrounded by a flock of the toughest and most rugged looking Agents and operatives SHIELD had was a tall dark man clad in green and gold. He had long black hair and the most intense piercing eyes Alotte had ever seen on any living creature. They seemed to hold a world of knowledge buried beneath an impenetrable layer of mischief. If there was ever going to be an embodiment of the God Loki then this man was it. But was he really as evil and cruel as the whispers were making him out to be? That just didn’t match up. Thor loved his brother, that was one thing Alotte was as sure of as the days ending in Y in English. Something just didn’t seem right. Quietly slipping back into the room to finish taking inventory of stock Alotte silently formed a plan in her head.

Later on once everyone was busy going about their own business, too occupied to pay attention to the girl who didn’t have a real job to do since her job centered around someone currently working for the other team, Alotte slipped out into the halls of the Helicarrier. Quiet enough to not bring notice but not quiet enough to raise suspicion Alotte made her way towards the Hulk’s holding tank, where SHIELD was currently holding their prisoner. With a swiped badge Alotte made her way into the holding tank area, a place she wouldn’t have been able to get into without her confiscated badge otherwise. Softly she took in the enormous glass tube and its lanky occupant whose back was currently facing her. With sure and steady steps Alotte made her way towards the glass, approaching Loki from behind before wrapping her knuckles once on the glass before taking a step or two back.

“It seems I have a visitor. And what has SHIELD sent to me hmmm?” Loki asked as he turned to face Alotte, covering his startlement with a sneer.

“Nobody sent me. I came on my own,” Alotte replied firmly, keeping her voice in check as her insides quivered. From excitement or fear she couldn’t quite figure out at the moment.

“And why would you come and visit me, child of the old gods?” Loki purred as he made to take one step closer.

“So you know who I am?” Alotte asked confused.

“I know your face, or where it comes from, as I’ve known your ancestors. And I can see your faith in your exquisitely unique eyes, child of the old Gods. As if you were touched by Chaos. So again, why are you here?” Loki asked with a lifted brow as he tried turning on his charm.

“I came to see you for myself. To see if you were truly who they said you were. To see if I stood in the presence of a God of old, in the presence of the god of Chaos and Mischief,” Alotte stated rather matter of factually as it was the truth.

“And do I live up to your grand standards of a god of worship?” Loki sneered just slightly sarcastically while still trying to keep his facade of charm going.

Alotte walked up to the glass prison and took her time walking around it a bit looking him over, watching him with her hands resting on her knives that were equipped at her sides before standing directly in front of him. She placed her hand on the glass and looked at Loki flatly. A look of confusion briefly fluttered across Loki’s face, only to be masked with his cloak of cocky self assuredness. 

“No. And it breaks my heart,” Alotte sighed dejectedly before letting her hand drop before looking at him sadly.

Another ghost of confusion brushed Loki’s features only to be quickly replaced with fiery anger in the blink of an eye.

“How _**DARE**_ you think anything of me! Who are _YOU_ to speak to a god like that! You are _NOTHING_!” Loki bellowed as he punched the glass, getting as much in Alotte’s face as he could with a thick glass barrier between the two.

Alotte simply turned and walked away, paying the God of Mischief and his outburst no mind as she shook her head. Alotte stopped a few feet from the door to turn back and look at Loki.

“There are those of us that still believe. Still worship the old gods. _ALL_ of the old gods,” Alotte explained as if to some unasked question, stressing the ALL so maybe Loki would figure out that that _included_ him as well, before turning again and leaving.

“I do so love that shade of _green_ in your hair, it matches your left eye so perfectly,” Loki sneered.

Alotte didn’t stop but once outside the holding area she touched the chunk of green in her hair and sighed before moving on. Her mission of curiosity had been fulfilled though her questions hadn’t all been answered, more questions had been raised if anything. With a down hearted set to her steps Alotte went off to wherever she was needed.

**-xXx-**

“Alotte Fjerstad, tiny child of the old Gods!” a voice boomed behind Alotte, causing her to fumble the stack of boxes in her arms. As she caught them all she turned to face the voice that could only belong to one person on the Helicarrier. Plus she had only ever met one person who could pronounce her full name, let alone used it, outside her family. 

“Ye-yes?” Alotte fumbled as she tried swallowing the lump forming in her throat. It was still taking some getting used to, addressing a God of her religion face to face.

“Can we not share mead and stories at this time? Is not your job on hold because of the loss of the Hawk man?” Thor asked as he looked at the boxes awkwardly held in Alotte’s hands.

“I feel in need of someone with which I can converse with of things I am used to,” Thor admitted with a half smile. Alotte simply smiled at him in kind, a knowing smile she hoped he understood or at least felt in some manner.

“I’d lov-” Alotte started to reply but was cut off when she went careening into the wall to her right as the whole helicarrier shifted dramatically. Alotte grunted as a box or something crashed on top of her head, she could feel the blood trickle across her scalp but figured she was okay.

“Alotte Fjerstad! Alotte Fjerstad! Are you okay tiny golden child?” Thor’s voice boomed as items were lifted and removed from Alotte’s field of vision.

“I’m alright, I’m alright!” Alotte coughed as a strong hand gripped her arm and lifted her bodily from the ground. Thor placed Alotte rightly on her feet and she immediately slumped against the wall and shooed away Thor’s massive hands as they tried to check her over for damages.

“I’m alright,” Alotte coughed again, releasing dust particles from her throat. 

“Thor sir, Director Fury would like to speak with you,” an Agent interrupted as Thor clucked over Alotte like a nervous hen.

“Go. I’m fine. I’m just gonna go to sick bay to get this looked at!” Alotte coughed out one finally time, shoving Thor the direction of the Agent standing sheepishly to the side. With a final look of concern Thor nodded and left Alotte to herself. With a grunt Alotte stood straighter and pushed her comm on.

“Maria, if you need me I’m heading to sick bay. The boxes you needed are in hallway H-1,” Alotte spoke before starting her limp towards a nurse. What kind of Agent was she if a simple shift of the Helicarriers position took her out?

“Agent Fee- Lottie I actually need you on the main deck. We have some new information that I need your insight on while Agent Romanov is occupied,” Agent Hill ordered kindly but bruskly before she cut off her direct comm link to Alotte. Alotte was one of the few people in SHIELD who had a direct private comm to Hill simply because of her position as Alotte’s trainer and because of Alotte’s work for Barton. With a sigh Alotte wiped the blood from her forehead, it was stupid how much simple head wounds bled, before making her way towards the main deck.

**-xXx-**

When the explosion hit Alotte found herself once again lying on the floor blinking through dust and debris, coughing to dislodge whatever she had inhaled. Again. The holodeck was teaming with chaos, and not the good kind, as Agents of all levels scrambled about wildly. This time there was no God of Thunder to lift her to her feet but she found her way there regardless. Coughing and wiping away more blood Alotte took stock of her surroundings. Fire. There were flames everywhere, broken pieces of the helicarrier scattered about and Agents lying on the ground, some not moving. They were under attack! Alotte scrambled to help those she could as she listened to what could only be a war going on inside the helicarrier, yelling and screaming amidst all of the commotion of explosions.

Alotte scrambled about as best she could, this was something she had been trained for but never put into real life practice. The smell was the worst part. Hearing gun shots Alotte turned to face their attackers, firing her own rounds in defense of her home. Chaos. Madness. And in the midst of it all she saw a very familiar projectile fly its way onto the holodeck. Very familiar indeed.

“Down!” Alotte shouted as loud as she could, taking a few agents down with her as she hit the floor mere moments before another explosion rocked the holodeck specifically. Those were _her_ arrows damn it! _Hers_! And if her arrows were being used that could only mean one thing…

“Barton. Barton is here,” Alotte coughed into her comms, this time the channels open to everyone and anyone who could hear.

**-xXx-**

Agent Barton was back. Well captured at least, contained as Agent Romanov watched over him. So hopefully she had a job again. Thor was missing. But so was Loki. Things were a mess. Alotte was helping make sense of the destruction on the holodeck, picking up pieces and sorting through the debris to figure out what was salvageable and what was useless. Those in worse shape than her had been sent to medical. She felt so useless.

“Agent Coulson is down. I repeat Agent Coulson is down,” Fury’s voice rang through Alotte’s comm. His voice so loud amidst the silence that follows the uncertain end of a battle.

“Sir, med vac is on its way to your location,” another voice rang through the comms.

“No need, I’m calling it now,” Fury’s voice spoke softly into Alotte’s ear. Alotte felt like someone had punched her in the gut, knocking every ounce of air from her lungs. She slumped to the ground with a thud, her head finding its way between between her legs resting on her crossed arms. Not Coulson. Not Coulson too. He always seemed so indestructible. So… permanent. Unkillable.

**-xXx-**

“Alotte, did you stock all major Quinjets with a full supply of all Barton’s arrows? Even more of his explosive ones?” Fury’s voice came through Alotte’s comm. Shocked Alotte looked up from her current menial task at hand and scanned the room around her, her eyes paying close attention to the other Agents near her. No one else seemed to be listening intently on their comms.

“Agent Fjerstad did you hear me?” Fury’s voice spoke again in Alotte’s ear.

“Sir?” Alotte replied unsteadily. Did Director Fury have a direct line to her comms? Makes sense she thought, the Director being able to speak to all his Agents individually. Did he know all of them by name?

“Did you stock all major Quinjets with a full supply of Agent Barton’s special arrows? Including more explosive ones?” Fury repeated.

“Yes sir, all major Quinjets are fully stocked for Agent Barton’s need. But sir…”

“Thank you Alotte, that will be all,” Fury spoke before Alotte’s comm went silent. Alotte simply sat in momentary shock at not only Fury’s odd question but the fact that he spoke directly to her. Granted her main job, her sole function at SHIELD, was to build and create Agent Barton’s arrows but it didn’t make it any less strange.

**-xXx-**

Alotte was back on the holodeck, the Avengers had left hours ago and the world had exploded around them so to speak. A huge hole had appeared in the sky and aliens had started attacking the planet, New York to be exact. But everyone of SHIELD was still here on the helicarrier alongside Alotte, picking up the pieces so to speak as best they could. Trying to put the helicarrier, and their world, back together so they could possibly join the fight once again. To help. All comms with the Avengers had gone down at some point, when in all the fighting no one really knew, but it left them blind to the fight in New York.

As Alotte helped rewire one of Fury’s main consoles, trying to get the system back online so they could attack their other non-physical type problems, a crackling static came through Alotte’s comm. As she shook her head at the sharp sudden noise Alotte noticed others doing the same as her, the comms had come back online in some fashion or another. Maybe she had done something right?

“They still worship us Loki, brother!” Thor’s voice suddenly boomed over the comms. People and Agents all around Alotte stopped what they were doing to listen.

“Not many, but enough! _She_ still worships and believes in us! And like her there are others! And not only just the old Gods, but _us_! And you would kill them? You would kill _her_? For _WHAT_? For belief and worship that they already give us freely?” Thor boomed, anger and hope both tinging his voice that rang through everyone’s ears over the comms. Alotte was pretty sure they weren’t supposed to be hearing this, that something she had done with her rewiring had caused their comms to link directly with Thor’s. Almost like holding up a third party phone to listen in on another’s conversation.

Grunts and gasps could be heard following Thor’s speech, he was definitely in the midst of a fight. Alotte guessed he was fighting his brother if his words were any indication. Alotte felt a blush creep to her cheeks as Thor’s words still echoed in her ears. There could only be one her Thor was talking about and Alotte knew it was her, there wasn’t anyone else of her faith in all of SHIELD of that she was certain.

“You know that look you gave me before I dropped you in that glorious cage? She gave me that exact same look when she came to look upon me, to view one of the Gods of old. Seems I am becoming quite proficient at breaking _hearts_!” Loki’s voice sneered loud and clear through all comms. Loki’s words were followed shortly by more pained grunts before all sound was once again lost. The temporary communication via their comms gone again, no sound from the outside world. Alotte felt herself staring at her hands, her hands empty except for a pair of pliers. Why of all people would the God of Thunder and the God of Mischief and Chaos be talking about her? She didn’t matter. She wasn’t anybody. Feeling embarrassed, even though most people at SHIELD were unaware of her religious beliefs as it wasn’t a pertinent subject of conversation, Alotte scanned the room regardless. Peering at the faces around her to see if they guessed, if they _knew_. Finally her eyes landed on not only Hill but Fury as well, and the both of them were staring directly at her. _They_ knew and they had heard just like everybody else, but they knew. Feeling even more embarrassed Alotte looked back down at the ground, her hand reaching up to grasp the necklace of charms that laid between her breasts under her uniform.

**-xXx-**

They had won the day. All of SHIELD was cheering and rejoicing around Alotte, like it was Christmas. Damages had been taken, lives had been lost but the helicarrier was mostly back in working order and the day was theirs. Loki had been captured and brought back to the helicarrier for safe keeping before Thor took him home to Asgard. Asgard. It was a strange to say the word in her mind, the taste of it on her tongue as a real and tangible thing. Asgard. The land of her faith.

With a shake of her head Alotte brought herself back to the sounds of celebration, cheering and joyful salutations to all who passed another. But as she took it all in she realized the feel of the room had changed. People were gathering somewhere, moving en masse towards something. Interest peaked Alotte made to follow the rest of her coworkers so to speak. The hallways were packed full, Agents and employees of SHIELD alike crammed together like sardines. It was so thick with bodies that due to Alotte’s shorter height she couldn’t see anything and so decided to walk further down towards the main exit of the helicarrier where it seemed to be less packed. Finding a spot to view the unknown event about to happen Alotte opened up her ears to those around her, hoping to eavesdrop what all the commotion was about.

“...hostage…”

“...they’re taking him somewhere…”

“...I hope they kill him…”

“...can they kill something like him…”

Loki was being removed from the helicarrier and taken home finally it seemed. But death? That seemed a little drastic to Alotte. From all she had gathered in the aftermath, all reports, video footage and debriefs she’d had access to plus her own personal knowledge of the deity himself… well something didn’t add up. Something was off. Sure Loki had caused a lot of destruction, his army of aliens had caused the deaths of handfuls of people, but was his death necessary? Could not other people see that something was wrong? That something was off.

Alotte found herself biting her nails as she mulled over things in her own mind when she was brought back to the commotion that originally brought her out into the hallways. Loki was coming closer. Interested Alotte stepped forward, putting herself directly in the path of the passing hostage and his captors when he should pass. She saw Thor first amidst all the clamoring, tall and golden as he was, towering above the entourage of Agents once again surrounding him. The SHIELD Agents looked so small and dull next to his visage. And then as they got closer Alotte saw him. Gone was his horned helm, his plated battle armor and cloak. His face was pale again, but not that deathly pale from before. The circles under his eyes, the hollow set to his cheeks was gone, though his face bore a multitude of battle wounds. Nothing anyone else hadn’t suffered here on the helicarrier. What was most noticeable was his eyes. They were bright and shiny, mischievous like they should be, and they finally looked unafraid. Unburdened. What else was most noticeable was not the intense cuffs binding the God’s hands together but in fact the elaborate gag covering his mouth. It was unlike anything Alotte had ever seen.

Alotte held her breath as the group finally passed her. The entourage of Agents completely unaware of her presence, even Thor so caught up in the task of taking his brother home did not see her. But he did. It was like the world slowed for a moment as he passed, his eyes locked directly with Alotte’s as if he had been looking for amongst the see of black and gray uniforms.

 _“He finally looks healthy”_ was the first thought to pass through Alotte’s mind when their eyes met. Her first and final thought for that moment as all ability to think left her under his intense direct gaze. She could see his smile reflected in his eyes even if she couldn’t see his mouth. It was a knowing smile but a smile nonetheless, and something about it made Alotte realize that it was for her and only her.

“ **Goodbye child of the old Gods** ,” Alotte heard echo softly inside her head.

In shock Alotte almost blurted out loud but was able to regain some form of personal control as she quickly looked around her to see if anyone else had heard that. To confirm that it hadn’t been spoken directly into her mind. As she found herself looking back at Loki she almost lost her cool all over again when she watched Loki smoothly wink at her. Winked! And before she could gather her thoughts he was gone, having been finally escorted from the helicarrier, and their lives, for the last and final time.  
Alotte couldn’t think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know.  
> These first two chapters were basically the first Avengers movie.  
> But I needed to introduce this character this way, to show you who she was and to bring her into the life of Thor and Loki.  
> And I needed to be able to give you guys an understanding of who she was in SHIELD and her POV of things during that battle and all that led up to it. I needed you to see her importance in SHIELD and this world, an importance she doesn't quite see.  
> PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!
> 
> Love you all!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

“Hey! You! Legolas’ wingman, err arrowman- woman, gah… you there with the different colored hair!”

Alotte stopped in her tracks and turned around to see who was shouting. Shouting apparently at her, though she hadn’t realized it until the comment about the different colored hair. Turning Alotte came face to face with a slightly out of breath Tony Stark as he jogged his way towards her, his arms waving out in front of him just in case she didn’t understand that he wanted her to stop. She waited patiently, if a little confused, for the billionaire Avenger to finally approach her. What could Tony Stark _possibly_ want with her? 

“Yes? How may I help you Mr. Stark?” Alotte found herself asking in an overly polite manner once he had slowed to a stop in front of her.

“Oh god, please don’t call me Mr. Stark. It makes me feel old. And like my father. Three things I really don’t care for,” Tony listed off with a dramatic roll of his eyes. Alotte found herself fighting to keep down a smile at his answer.

“Fine. What can I do for you Tony Stark?” Alotte asked again, this time not fighting the slight up turn on the corner of her mouth.

“How would you like to call me Tony? Or Stark? Boss just seems so overly stuffy and informal. Ugh!” Tony answered, making a noise of disgust at the end with another roll of his eyes.

Alotte stood in shock and confusion, staring at Tony Stark with her mouth hanging open more than likely. The battle of New York had ended what seemed like a different lifetime ago, there were murmurings of HYDRA about her work place but all in all things had gone back to normal. She had gone back to living in her apartment, free from fear of aliens, and she can gone back to working at SHIELD making Agent Barton his arrows. Even if he didn’t ever seem to be around anymore.

“Excuse me?” Alotte finally managed to spit out much to Tony’s delight it seemed if his facial expression was any indication.

“You. Me. Awkward boss type situation. Though I’d advise against that type of kink, been there, tried that, not as alluring as most people make it out to be. I can triple your salary. At _least_. You can change your first name from Agent to whatever you’d like. I’d give you an _entire_ floor so you could design all the things that make Princess Merida efficient at his job. I’d even give you an entire group of underlings for you to use and abuse as you see fit. So what do you say?” Tony asked as he put on his copyrighted million watt smile.

“Are, are you asking me to work for you? At Stark tower?” Alotte blurted out in shock.

“Well it’s still Stark Tower but it’s more actually like Avengers Tower now. I don’t know if you saw the renovations, that giant glowing A at the top now instead of my glorious name. Everyone lives there more or less, and just about all things Avengers now take place there. And since Barton is an Avenger and you make his pointy projectiles go boom I figured it would behoove me to hire you. Unless you prefer to stay here of course,” Tony offered as he motioned about himself to the dark gray walls that made up all of SHIELD Headquarters.

“Are you joking?” Alotte asked, still wary of the proposition being laid at her feet so beautifully.

“Not about this,” Tony supplied in all seriousness.

“When?” Alotte found herself asking, as if she had no control over her mouth.

“Yesterday?” Tony answered cheekily.

“What about my training with Maria?” Alotte asked, trying to find some way that this move in life was a bad thing.

“I’m pretty sure I could convince her to continue your training at the Tower. So you in? Ready to become part of the ever expanding team?” Tony asked, a sense of finality in his words. Alotte figured this was not something he was going to ask twice, and she knew he wasn’t used to being told no in any form or fashion.

“You can call me Lottie, most everyone else does as it’s easier to pronounce than my actual name,” Alotte replied in lieu of a straightforward yes.

“Yeah I saw that when I was researching your files. What a mouth full! Did your parents hate you like my father did me?” Tony prattled off as he lead Alotte down the hall to some unknown destination.

“You researched me?” Alotte asked with laugh.

“Of course. Can’t have just anybody spending all their time in the same tower that I sleep in. I’m very protective of my secret hair care products. And my fellow super suits. What if you didn’t drink coffee or really did love the monotony of dark gray? Disastrous!” Tony chided as he took Alotte by the arm and led her finally into her shared laboratory. She had no idea when they had made it this far, Tony seemed to command time itself. Which didn’t seem like something too far outside his reach if he really put his mind to it.

“You there! Yes you, the one in the funny white coat. Get a box and put all this lovely ladies items into it. And gather all her research, anything she’s put her mind on. If you’re super speedy about it she might even think to hire you here in the near future!” Tony rattled off as Alotte slumped into a free office chair. She was still stuck in a whirlwind of emotions and events, her life seemed to be hurtling in a several directions all at once and they weren’t even at war anymore!

“So I’ve put your reassignment in to Maria Hill, she came back with colorful language. Apparently I took my sweet time taking you, apparently I’m getting slow in my old age. I’ll just have Jarvis leave her a little surprise and… done! So I’ll have all your things brought over to the Tower and have your floor set up with basics until you’re able to tell me what you’ll specifically need. So now that that’s taken care of I’ll see you tomorrow say nine-ish? Good? Good,” Tony supplied with a flourish before turning and leaving Alotte alone with her thoughts in the bustling laboratory.

**-xXx-**

Alotte had been at the Avengers Tower for two months at this point and it all seemed like a dream still. She saw much of Tony and of Banner, simply because their own R &D floors coincided with her own, and fellow scientists tended to flock together anyways. Thor had yet to return to New York, or earth at all for that matter it seemed, and she rarely saw either Hawkeye or Black Widow. Maria visited often, not only to continue Alotte’s training but also to gain regular reports on her progress and life here at the tower. Tony had been more than accommodating, even for someone of her standing. She had been able to design her floor encompassing laboratory to her every specification, she even turned over a corner of her lab into a training spot for her and Maria. Of course that corner was probably bigger than her entire apartment, but it beat having to use the shared training floor as Alotte was still not used to being surrounded by those considered the heroes of earth. Anything she could have dreamed of needing in any possible form or fashion Tony had given her, no question of money or necessity ever asked. He’d even put in a small sleeping area for her and when she had scoffed at the idea he had assured her that he and Banner spent many a nights falling asleep in their own labs and knew how nice it was to at least have a cot to collapse into when one couldn’t make it to their own beds. So she had accepted it without further argument and had since found truth to his words. It was sure nice to have somewhere to clean up in after a training session with Maria before going back to work on designs for Agent Barton. Days just like today.

“You’re getting sloppy Lottie! Again!”

*thwack*

“Wearing a white lab coat all the time now with machines to do your every need is making you soft! Again!”

*thwack*

“You’re aim is awful! Again!”

*thwack*

“Jesus Maria! You’re worse than any mother I’ve ever seen on television!” Alotte laughed as she sent another knife hurtling towards a different target, once again hitting the exact center. Her aim was perfect, so was her form, and Maria knew it! Maria Hill simply scoffed in response from where she stood to the side, her arms folded across her chest as she watched Alotte practice with a keen and critical eye.

“My job is to make sure you go home each day intact and still in one piece. Alive. Not my fault your knife skills are fallen since you moved into this cushy lifestyle!” Maria Hill replied flatly as she watched another of Alotte’s knives fly straight and true towards its appointed target.

“Fallen? Fallen? Tony _himself_ said I was better with a knife than even _Natasha Romanoff_! Alotte scoffed back after her last knife hit its target dead center.

“He _said_ that?” Maria Hill asked shocked, her arms finally falling to her sides as Alotte turned to face her before grabbing a towel from her duffel bag to wipe her face down.

“Yeah. I was bent over a new quiver design for Agent Barton the other day, I was having problems getting it to hold charges on these new arrows I had mocked, so I was completely ensconced in my work. Oblivious. He had come traipsing into my lab complaining about god knows what, just being loud and whiny, and I had sent a knife flying towards his head. It embedded itself directly behind him into the wall, he was so impressed he didn’t even complain about the hair it had taken with it!” Alotte explained with glee.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day I met someone with better knife handling skills than Natasha Romanoff herself!” Alotte repeated, perfectly imitating Tony so well that even Maria had to stop to laugh at it.

“I told him that very well could be true, but that Agent Romanoff would have had me disarmed long before I would have had a knife in my hand. He begged to differ. I told him he was lucky she wasn’t in the building haha!” Alotte laughed as she threw her towel back towards her bag.

“I can imagi-” Maria started.

“Excuse me Agent Maria Hill but I would like to ask for a moment alone with miss Alotte Fjerstad,” a familiar voice interrupted politely, cutting Maria Hill off mid sentence.

“Thor when did you get back?” Maria asked when she turned to face the God of Thunder, shock at his presence written across her face.

“Only just moments ago. If you would not mind,” Thor said politely again but rather matter of factually. 

“Our training is over for the day anyways. Please make sure to check in with Fury when you’re done here Thor. I’ll see you for our next training session Lottie!” Maria stated rather formally to Thor before ending on a kind note towards Alotte. Thor simply gave the Agent a courteous nod as she made to leave, a nod that spoke of him having no intention of checking in with Fury once he was done here. Though what he could _possibly_ want with her Alotte had _no_ idea what so ever. And so she patiently waited for Thor to speak to her about whatever was so important that even Maria Hill couldn’t be in the room for it. Once Maria had vacated the lab and Thor had done a check to make sure no one else was in the lab with them he turned his attention to Alotte.

“This is for you tiny child of the old Gods,” Thor spoke solemnly as he stretched his hand out towards her, holding something. Alotte took the object and upon inspection found it to be a letter or document of some sort written on very heavy paper with her name scrolled across it elegantly. As she turned the weighty parcel over in her hands she saw that it was sealed with wax with the symbol Dagaz and a sprig of mistletoe along with something else she couldn’t identify pressed into the center of it to seal it.

“Did you read it?” Alotte asked as she looked up at Thor, her fingers gently tracing the markings of the seal.

“It was not intended for me Alotte Fjerstad tiny child of the old Gods, so I did not. It is sealed still is it not? I have more honor than to read other people’s missives!” Thor scoffed in a booming voice, though by his tone Alotte could tell she had not wounded his pride any with her question. She simply nodded in reply before going back to the letter in her hands. The paper was thick and heavy even though it was only one sheet, and it was unlike any paper she had handled before. With delicate hands that were only a little unsure of themselves she popped the seal open and unfolded the intricately multi-folded letter. There in the middle was the most elegant handwriting she had ever seen, perfect script taking up only a few lines of the parchment.

_**“Dear Child of the old Gods,  
I did not mean to cause you harm. I only wish to one day again be worthy of your prayers and offerings. Of your faith and belief in me. Know that I shall listen for your voice in prayer should you ever feel me worthy again, girl with the green eye.”** _

With a sigh Alotte folded the paper back up again, careful to follow the creases correctly so as not to damage it, and placed the letter delicately on her lap. When she had sat while reading and rereading the letter she didn’t remember.

“I don’t know if I can ever do that again…” Alotte trailed off softly.

“Do what?” Thor asked in kind, proving once again that he had not in fact read the personal letter from his brother.

“Believe like I used to. It’s different knowing you’re all REAL, like real real. How do I pray and put out offerings to beings, _Gods_ , I can sit down and have a drink with,” Alotte questioned out loud. If she were to be honest with herself she had been using her work since the battle of New York to keep her mind off her internal battle with her faith. It had been something she had found herself questioning since she first laid eyes on the God of Thunder.

“Do you wish yourself ignorant of our existence again? Would it be easier to pray to something you had never seen? A woman of science, I am told by my Jane, believes in what she can see and touch. Would that not make it easier for you to believe in, to pray to, us yes?” Thor stated rather matter of factually. And if by some miracle it seemed his words were the balm to her struggle that she had been looking for. Something to soothe her battle of faith. She _was_ a woman of Science, like Thor’s lady Jane, so she believed in what she could hold and touch and mathematically prove. So was not having physical proof that her Gods existed in fact a tool to make her belief easier? She could physically touch the beings she prayed to so to speak. She could have a beer and talk of battle strategies with one she used to blindly set offerings out to. And so Alotte smiled up at Thor as she reached out to grasp his over sized hands with one of her tiny ones, a true smile. And Thor returned hers with one of his own just as warm as he gently squeezed her hand.

“I must go now Alotte Fjerstad, tiny child of the old Gods, for my Jane has need of me still. But I shall return as soon as I can and we shall finally sit and trade stories you and I!” Thor boomed loudly, followed by a booming laugh that Alotte figured started somewhere deep inside the barrel of his enormous chest.

“Until we meet again little Norse girl, may Odin give you knowledge on your path,” Thor spoke stately in all seriousness as he held his palm up as tradition stated.

“May Thor grant you strength and courage on your way,” Alotte replied with a goofy smile as she raised her own palm towards him.

“And may Loki give you laughter as you go,” the two said in unison before lowering their hands. Thor gave a final nod before turning and leaving her lab. It was nice to have someone to speak the traditional saying one spoke when leaving a friend, strange but nice. Normally she only spoke it to her family or when at home, it was like a little piece of home she didn’t realized she missed so much. The hilarity of speaking it to one who was spoken of in the salutation did not go unnoticed by Alotte, but she didn’t care as it was just nice to say it to someone who understood it.

Suddenly Alotte heard a most ridiculous racket and all the windows of her lab shook violently.

"That man has no care for building maintenance," Alotte chuckled to herself as she stowed the letter in her pocket before heading back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You likey leakey?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for my lack of being here on this site. I've been working 14 hour days these past few weeks, my days starting at 5 am and "ending" at 10 pm. Which left little time for writing let alone anything else that required brain power of any amount.
> 
> But I'm back in the saddle now that work is "normal" again so strap in ladies and germs because here we go!

“What exactly are you doing?” Tony’s voice came from behind Alotte. Alotte turned from where she was crouched on the ground amid a pile of junk so to speak. Standing Alotte wiped sweat from her forehead, spreading more dirt than anything.

“I’m trying to build something for me to train against while Agent Hill is gone for the foreseeable future. I build deadly art in the form of arrows and quivers with more thinking power than most home computers, so this,” Alotte gestured towards the parts littering her practice area in her lab. “This is where I fail. I don’t build training devices or robots,” Alotte finished with a defeated sigh.

“You know I could help. I happen to be the biggest name in robotics if you hadn’t heard,” Tony replied smoothly as he popped a random piece of food into his mouth. The man was _always_ eating it seemed!

“I didn’t think to ask,” Alotte mumbled softly, embarrassed to have him willing to help her once again.

“Come on. Run through some of your training practices as if Hill was here and I’ll have Jarvis run a program while you do it. He’ll be able to supply me with the statistics and logistics I’ll need to build you a proper training device. Or three,” Tony supplied with a shrug as if he wasn’t once again handing her the world!

With a silent nod Alotte went about clearing space for her to practice in, to run through her katas without damaging herself or anything around her. She also took the time to set up several targets at random intervals for her to use for her knife work. Once things were set up enough for her temporary liking Alotte brought herself to the center of it all and closed her eyes. Slowing her heartbeat and evening out her breathing, finding her center before she began. Once grounded Alotte began, her arms and legs moving flawlessly, her body moving fluidly from one kata to the next. The entire time Tony had Jarvis running scans and gathering data, collecting all the things he would need.

So completely tuned into her practice, so oblivious to the outside world around her except for what she needed that she didn’t notice the fourth party watching her. Agent Barton had found his way to her lab with a bad arrow in hand, it had malfunctioned during one of his own practices and he needed the model fixed before he was next out in the field. So he had asked a few questions and had found himself here, turning the corner and abruptly running into the glass walls that encased her lab. He had let himself in, as her lab was not locked like Banner and Tony’s, and had looked around for anyone to help him with his problem. He had heard the sounds of a fight, or so he had thought, and made his way that direction. He had come upon the backside of Tony as the man watched what appeared to be a small woman run through a series of impressive katas against an invisible sparring partner.

Entrapped by the movements of the unknown fighter Clint had stood silently, watching from outside the glass enclosed practice area, as he now saw it for what it was, with his defunct arrow in hand. He felt like some kind of interloper, some sort of peeping Tom, as he watched unnoticed and uninvited. She was amazing to watch, she moved with a graceful ease that spoke of years of practice that only came when one had the innate skill already in them. It was almost like watching Natasha practice but less violent, and slightly more awkward at the same time as she had no one to spar against. What was Tony doing there watching her? He obviously had Jarvis scanning her moves as Clint saw tiny minuscule red lasers traipsing about the woman’s body as she moved but for what reason he didn’t know. So he just stood and watched and watched and watched. She was hypnotizing and Clint felt as if he couldn’t move from his spot on the laboratory floor. Agent Barton did his best not to make a sound of approval, for fear of being caught, when she started in with her knife work. He felt that Natasha should be here instead of him but he was also glad she wasn’t, for this unknown girl could quite possibly be better than Natasha at knife work. She seemed to have an unearthly understanding of her knives, as if they were a part of her like his arrows were a part of him. It was breathtaking to watch her let them fly with ease to their targets, her eyes closed the entire time.

Eventually Alotte’s workout came to an end, sweat pooling comfortably in all the right places when her body stopped moving. She found herself facing the opposite direction she had started, now facing Tony instead of having her back to him. As she brought her heaving chest under control she opened her eyes and smiled at Tony, she felt that Maria would have been proud of her workout. Hopefully. 

“Wow. You really are quite deadly with those things you know? Is there anything you can’t throw with deadly accuracy?” Tony chuckled as he attempted to wiggle one of the knives she’d lodged into a wall.

“You?” Alotte replied with a chuckle as she grabbed a nearby towel to wipe down with. 

Barton choked out a mangled sound that could have been mistaken for something between a laugh and a snort if one had been paying attention well enough. As it was it only alerted the other two people in the room to his awkward presence. Alotte dropped the towel she was holding and strode over to the Avenger standing by the entrance, twisting her hair up into a bun as she ate ground with suddenly large strides.

“I uhh, it,” Barton began to stutter, as if suddenly at a loss for words. Not that he knew the first place to begin with explaining what had brought him here. He simply held the defunct arrow limply in his hands as if an offering to her.

“Oh god that’s one of Simon’s designs, I _told_ him it wouldn’t work! The fletches are completely all wrong for this type of design, it would’ve thrown off the center of gravity and destroyed the speed. I surprised it didn’t blow up in your face when you first released it! I told him his calculations were completely off! It’s my job to build these, _my_ job. The idiot doesn’t understand the delicacy of…” Alotte ranted as she stormed off with the bad arrow in hand, simultaneously slipping on a spare lab coat as she babbled her way to a workstation in her lab. Tony followed closely behind, like a puppy following his mother, while Barton stayed mutely behind just staring. Tony sidled up beside Alotte and quite literally peered over her shoulder.

“Maybe if you take off that little thingy right there and…”

“Out!” Alotte barked without looking up from the mess in her hands, not needing the nosy scientist around mucking things up. Tony simply made a disgruntled sound in the back of his throat that sounded more fabulous than upset. Alotte didn’t spare a moment to react to the man, but the single sliver of her brain not freaking out over the problematic arrow did spare a fraction of a second to smile at the sound and the saunter he used to walk away from her desk.

“Come on Merida let’s go find someone less scary to play with. Have you been hitting the weed bird boy? Your eyes look a little glossy… that fear of heights finally kicking in?” Tony rattled off as his and Agent Barton’s footsteps receded further and further.

**-xXx-**

Alotte woke to her alarm, long enough to hit snooze and fall back to bed with a huff. She never really was a morning person, even before SHIELD. With a groan Alotte kicked the blankets off her bed and lay angrily amongst her rumpled sheets, she was feeling rather petulant this morning. Not like anyone was around to see her random morning tantrums, she didn’t have a significant other nor a roommate for that matter. Her SHIELD paycheck was more than adequate to pay for her large enough apartment in downtown New York at the very top of her building. Her love of heights had led her to a higher price bracket, but her choice of neighborhood had balanced it out when all was said and done. And just as Tony had promised three months ago, he had in fact tripled her salary when she had become a part of the Tower, a part of Stark Industries. Though that’s just what it said on the paperwork, because in all reality she worked for the Avengers via her field focusing solely on Agent Barton. Hawkeye. _Hawkeye_. It was still strange to refer to him by his Avengers _superhero_ name. With one last huff of exhaled air, blowing a strand of errant blonde hair off her face, Alotte got up and out of bed.

Padding into her kitchen like a zombie Alotte hit the huge silver button on her coffee maker and let the aroma wash over her. The smell of coffee worked wonders on her in the mornings. With a yawn Alotte brought down a random box of cereal from her cupboard, knowing her mother was somewhere crying over the fact that her breakfast did not consist of bread and some form of fish. But as much as Alotte loved fish she found it rather off putting first thing in the morning before one went off to work. And as she was becoming rather fond of the people she worked with at the Tower, maybe more so than the people she had practically grown up with at SHIELD in some senses. No one would ever take the place of Coulson in her heart, she had found herself thinking about the man a lot since his passing. Every time she glimpsed Captain America walking through the halls, on his way to somewhere important or such, she’d smile and think of what Coulson would say. Little things like that. Every day. He’d be so proud of her, working in the Tower with his beloved Avengers. Maybe even a little jealous of the amount of times she got to see Captain America on a day to day basis. But as much as she missed Coulson, and even Maria, Avengers Tower was her place now. It was where she fit. Alotte even might dare to go so far as to say that the people there were becoming like a friend family to her, even after the few weeks she had been there. Well at least the people she interacted with every day were on the short list of people she considered her friends.

Taking a break from the mulling going on inside her head, a path that was probably much too serious for this hour of the morning, Alotte sat down to eat. But after her first swig of scalding hot coffee and spoonful of cold milk and cereal her mind was right back at it again. She found herself laughing at how much time she spent thinking of work outside of work, even if not in the way most would expect. Did most people actually even consider their coworkers friends or did they keep them in that ugly zone of acquaintances? Did it make her odd that she considered the people she basically lived with at work her friends? Tony spent so much time in her lab Alotte sometimes wondered if he actually _did_ anything other than simply exist. Though she didn’t really mind, she couldn’t tell if he was becoming protective of her or if it was just the equipment he had purchased he was protective over. She didn’t really mind either way as she enjoyed his company, even if she wished she had superhuman strength on occasion so she could physically throw him out a window a time or two. He seemed to _always_ be around, rifling through her schematics and asking her more questions than any one person had in her entire career at SHIELD. At SHIELD she was simply expected to do her job and no one wanted to know the specifics. But Tony did. She figured it was the scientist in him. And she loved that, it was great to have someone to bounce ideas off of who wouldn’t simply look at her like a deer in headlights. He might not entirely understand what she did, but he knew enough of everything else. She sometimes wondered if he played dumb at it all. With a disgusted noise Alotte dropped her spoon into her now soggy cereal and pushed the bowl aside. At least she still had her coffee, though that was in need of refilling if she was going to be human for work in time.

With another fill up and another yawn big enough to pop the kinks out of her neck Alotte slumped back onto her stool and melted onto her breakfast counter. The upside to having Tony always in her lab was that he would on occasion bring Banner down with him so he could show the man something she was working on, especially when she started mocking a new automated quiver. And since then the other scientist found his way down to her lab often. It didn’t matter that their fields differed, the bond of science was enough to create a friendship It was hard for Alotte to see the Avenger hidden beneath the large white lab coat, glasses that constantly slipped down his nose and soft hesitant smile. She appreciated Tony’s brash loud self, but she loved the calming sereneness of Banner. Which she supposed was a little strange considering the other half of his day job consisted of him living fully immersed in his internal rage. With a snort of unladylike laughter Alotte placed her now empty coffee cup in the sink, her now third cup finished, stretched and went about her favorite part of the morning.

With tip toeing steps, as if she might disturb her shadow delivery man even though she had never once seen him. But sight unseen or not, there was someone who visited her every night and left the strangest things behind in their wake. Unlocking her window, though why Alotte locked it in the first place as she lived on the top of a fifteen floor building where the fire escape didn’t work. So it wasn’t like any old cat burglar was going to scale the wall of her building and come in her window to rob her of her homemade art collection! But lock it she did nonetheless. With the window open Alotte peered out onto the sill and fire escape to see if there was anything for her. And there it was, her daily present. Picking up the tiny parcel and holding it delicately between her cupped hands she brought it inside, lifting her leg high up above her shoulder Alotte used her foot to shut and lock her window.

“Take _that_ Maria Hill!” Alotte crowed happily as she carried her tiny parcel over to her counter for further inspection.

Tucked neatly inside a perfectly crafted bird’s nest was the most beautiful and perfect rock Alotte had ever seen. It was dove gray and had tiny little rivers of green and yellow shot throughout it with tiny flecks of mica or some other reflection mineral. And it was perfectly round. She may not be a high falootin’ mathematician or anything but she was pretty sure it was perfectly round. With a smile Alotte placed the bird’s nest up on her mantle beside the other window sill presents that fit perfectly above her fake fireplace. Every morning since her third or so day at the Tower there had been something outside her window for her. They were the strangest gifts, the things she found outside, but what girl didn’t love mysterious gifts from anonymous strangers?

“What shall we do with you hmm?” Alotte asked the tiny pebble the size of a pea as she held it up for inspection as she walked circles around her apartment. Every present she’d received so far she had turned into _something_ , some kind of art. She had more chandeliers, sun catchers, mobiles and hanging pieces made from pieces of glass, mirror and beautifully reflective metal. She had mosaics everywhere about her house, sculptures and doodads created out of these odd gifts. Some of her favorites held places of honor, like the potted plant sitting on her coffee table. The plant had been sitting on her window sill in a pile of dirt, no pot in sight, just a flowering plant sitting there tilting to the side. Same with the window boxes she had currently in full bloom, they had grown from the packets of seeds left at other times. The most awkward present to date was her coffee table, or at least the boulder of a rock that made up the base. It may be one of her favorites but it had caused more than a few problems when she had tried getting it _inside_ her place, it was size of a medium child! But get it in she had, she had then ground down the top until it was flat and level only to then attach a beautiful piece of thick glass to its top. Thus creating the coffee table she used in her living room. Alotte’s place maybe starting to look like a crazy eccentric old lady’s place but she didn’t care.

“I don’t know where you come from or how you get here but you sure are beautiful. And besides, what girl doesn’t love waking up every morning to mysterious surprise gifts left on her fifteenth floor windowsill and fire escape?” Alotte mused out loud to the perfect pebble of a rock.

“I think I have the perfect idea for you,” Alotte whispered softly to the rock before sliding it into the pocket of her sweatpants.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

“So I’m starting to think the Avengers only consist of you and Banner and some person who has a passing resemblance of Captain Rogers,” Alotte teased over Tony’s bent form. He was bent on the floor, hunched over tools and covered in more grime than was strictly necessary for the job he was doing. Which was installing the robot he had custom built for her in what seemed to Alotte as no time at all.

“Well that’s because we’re really the only ones that matter in all honesty. Who needs a dinosaur popsicle that wears way too much spandex or Pocahontas when you have Iron Man and the Hulk eh?” Tony replied as he looked up at Alotte, covered in more sweat than she currently was.

“And Agent Romanoff?” Alotte asked teasingly.

“Oh ah, Nat is uhm… a very wonderful human being,” Tony coughed out as he peered around as if he was waiting for the Black Widow to jump out of a wrack of test tubes or his tool box.

“But seriously I swear I never see anyone but you two,” Alotte drawled out as she twirled some wrench that had been laying around.

“Well Capsicle is always on important patriotic business of some sort or another, like his patriotic porcelain throne. I swear I haven’t been putting _anything_ in his food or morning coffee. Nat is always infiltrating someone’s trust and stealing their pizza delivery coupons or some such thing. And well Bird Boy is always in the ceiling or vents so more than likely he’s around more than you’re aware of,” Tony listed off before dropping his current tool back into his giant red box.

“Really?” Alotte asked as she looked up at her own ceiling and scanned it, as if she had some sort x-ray vision and could see Agent Barton crouched hidden within its rafters. Tony grunted as he stood, wiping his miraculously dirty hands on his clothes, groaning like a man twice his age he stretched and popped his neck back into place.

“Oh yeah, either that or some random awkward hide away spot well above our heads,” Tony sniffed as he stepped back to inspect his work. “I’m quite the genius if I do say so myself,” Tony exclaimed as he cleared his throat and surveyed his work before turning to Alotte.

“Care to try it out?” he asked with a raise of one of his expensively sculpted eyebrows. 

“Just let me get ready,” Alotte replied before turning away and slipping off her things. Carefully she took off her necklace, though her charms she tucked deep between her breasts before gingerly sliding her newest ring off her finger- the one she’d made from the perfect pebble.

“Can you pass me that shirt over there?” Alotte asked as she pulled her blonde, green and purple hair up into a bun. When the shirt hit her on the back of her head she pulled it on over her head and considered herself ready enough for a test run of Tony’s new invention he was so proud of.

“Wow. Is… is this?” Tony stuttered somewhere behind her. Turning around Alotte found Tony standing at her small personal desk that she kept tucked away in the corner of her lab.

“Yeah,” Alotte replied, already knowing what his question was when she saw the small picture frame he was holding in his hands.

“I thought he had all of them on him when he, when he died,” Tony coughed as he cleared his throat and went to put the frame back in its place. With a smile Alotte plucked the tiny frame from his hands to cradle it in her own.

“He did. But then again they were returned when they had finished being useful to push you all to be the heroes he knew and believed you to be. So after all was said and done they came home. And when his will was read they came to me,” Alotte said wistfully as she gazed down at the frame.

“This was my favorite one growing up actually,” Alotte sighed as she placed the framed vintage, was once mint condition, Captain America trading card back in its rightful place on her desk. Always facing her chair so she could look upon it always.

“Wait, what?” Tony stuttered.

“Well it wasn’t a kept secret or anything, that Coulson pretty much raised me,” Alotte replied with a laugh.

“You really are a child of SHIELD,” Tony mused as he looked directly at Alotte so intense that she could feel his stare trying to burrow its way into her head.

“No, not really. I am a child of the old Gods. A child of my family. A child of Coulson. Nothing more,” Alotte replied with a shrug as Tony let out a heavy breath that it seemed he had been holding since he had first hired her.

“Did he talk about Captain America outside of work as much as he did at work?” Tony asked with a choked laugh as he looked up at the ceiling and blinked his eyes several times quickly.

“Worse. They were my bed time stories,” Alotte laughed out loud as she placed a reassuring hand on Tony’s arm for just a split second before he too burst into sort of a pained laugh that gradually turned into a genuine one.

“How _awful_!” Tony giggled as he wiped his face before coughing to regain his composure. “So shall we?” Tony asked with a gesture towards his new invention that had yet to be tried.

**-xXx-**

“Meeting, meeting! Everyone we’re having a meeting! If you’re not in the common room in three minutes you’ll be evicted and unfriended on all social media!” Tony’s voice came through what seemed to be an old speaker in the wall near the entrance to Alotte’s lab.

“How antiquated of Tony,” Alotte laughed as she pressed down on the small cotton ball at the inside of her elbow. “Does he use that form of communication normally?”

“Not usually. I think that’s the first time I’ve heard him use it. I didn’t think it actually worked, I thought it was just a weird antique that Tony had put in all the rooms as some sort of throw back,” Banner replied as he pushed his glasses up his nose and peered back at the blood sample in his hands.

“I suggest we abide unless we wish to find ourselves free from Tony Stark,” Alotte said with a roll of her eyes.

“Let me just get this newest sample into the machine before we go. I’d really like to thank you again for letting me do this. Heterochromia is a fantastic genetic find that I find incredibly intriguing and I’ve never really been able to study it up close, so I thank you for the countless times you allow me to draw a blood sample,” Banner said with a smile.

“It’s been all of three times before now,” Alotte laughed as she replaced the cotton ball with a bandaid.

“Here,” Banner said as he absently held out a lollipop towards Alotte which she took with a soft laugh before unwrapping it and popping it into her mouth.

“Just don’t tell Tony you got it from me. The man has got a sweet tooth larger than Thor’s inability to grasp things of our world and he’d tear my lab apart looking for my secret stash,” Banner supplied with a wink and what looked like the hint of the beginning of a blush.

“I’ll take it to my grave,” Alotte solemnly swore before putting the lollipop back into her mouth with a grin as she looked around the fellow scientists lab. It’s not like she’d never been in here but he always had something new brewing in some corner every time she visited.

“Hey, our tumblr accounts are going to get a lot less interesting if we don’t get to the common room soon,” another voice sounded off behind both Alotte and Banner. Alotte turned and smiled at the red haired spy that had silently appeared in Banner’s lab.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Banner asked as he looked at Agent Romanoff, to which she simply shrugged and looked around the lab as Alotte had but with less of a scientific interest.

“Uhm,” a voice coughed as an interruption and all three turned to stare at the interloper.

“Hey uh Tony threatened to break my metaphorical wings if I don’t bring you all to the common room,” Agent Barton sighed dramatically as he gestured out the door with a flourish. Agent Romanoff made such a ridiculous noise that Alotte had to peer out from around the cabinet to see what was causing the noise. She smiled when she saw the man that meant she had a job bent over at the waist gesturing ridiculously towards the door. When he lifted his head a shit eating grin was plastered all over his face until he met Alotte’s eyes at which point his smiled faltered and so did his footing, causing him to fumble forward. Romanoff stepped forward and stopped his continual fall by sticking out her arm and firmly placing her palm against his forehead.

“Let’s go graceful,” Romanoff sighed as she pushed Barton out of the lab backwards, her palm still against his forehead.

Alotte was just standing there smiling at the whole thing while Banner finished doing whatever it was he was doing. It was nice being the invisible person in the room sometimes, especially here at the tower when you got the chance to see the Avengers just being themselves. How many people got to see that side of them?

“Shall we?” Banner interjected, sounding like he had said it once before and was now repeating himself.

“Let’s go before our fateful leader combusts and we’re forced to clean up the mess afterwards,” Banner offered as he held out his arm for Alotte to take.

**-xXx-**

“Alotte Fjerstad, tiny child of the old Gods! It is good to see you again! We shall share mead and talk of things once our man of iron here is done blustering!” Thor’s voice boomed as Alotte and Banner made their entrance into the common room. It seemed by the looks of things that they were the last to arrive, and by the looks of it the only people ordered to this meeting were the other Avengers. Which made Alotte wonder why she was being brought along at all as she wasn’t one of them. She was merely another scientist of Stark Industries, and there were no other white coats in the common room. But her thoughts were distracted by the smile that encased the entire room, Thor God of Thunder was beaming directly at her- all but flat out ignoring the flustering Tony behind the counter off to his side.

“Alright! Let’s focus here _PLEASE_!” Tony shrilled loudly as he waved his arms about dramatically before slamming his flat hands down on the counter. All eyes turned to him just as he had asked.

“Good. Thank you. Was that so hard? Now. First order of business,” Tony spoke abruptly before rummaging on a shelf below him, drawing something out and placing it firmly on the counter.

“Do you _see_ this? Do you all _know_ what this is?” Tony exasperated.

“It is those lovely pastries your world loves so much! They really are quite delicious, I am quite fond of them!” Thor boomed rather proudly.

“Yes. Pop Tarts. They are called _Pop Tarts_. And they are quite delicious. They are also quite _empty_. _Again_! These things do _not_ grow on trees ladies and gentlemen, they do not. I have an _entire_ budget set aside for these things and these things alone. _That_ is how weird my life has become. _But_ I am willing to accept that part of my life if, and _only_ if, I am able to partake in them whenever I so choose! So if we could _all_ just slow our roll a little on the Pop Tart consumption that would be _great_!” Tony finished with gusto and more than a little over the top bravado.

“Now. Secondly. I’m bored. Let’s all go out to eat, shawarma? Yes? Shawarma? Something? Anything will really do. So who is in?” Tony asked as he looked around him at all the faces in the room.

“Seriously? No one? No respect, no respect. I swear, the things I do for you people, and all for nothing. My genius and generosity goes completely unappreciated around here. Maybe I’ll go find another group of weirdos to join, maybe one with blue people. Yeah, blue people sounds nice. Furry blue people, and blue people that change shape. Yeah, _they’d_ appreciate me!” Tony rattled off as he sauntered out of the room, pulling his sunglasses down over his eyes even though he was still very much inside.

“ _Blue_ people?” Banner whispered beside Alotte after the elevator doors closed around Tony’s form.

“So I’m not the only one who didn’t get that reference?” Captain Rogers asked from across the room.

Alotte simply stayed silent and just stared around her. Sure Tony had asked her to go out for drinks or food multiple times since she had started working in the Tower, in a very uncle like way mind you. Most the time she had turned him down in some fashion or another, simply because she tended to be up to her eyeballs in work. And it only made sense that he would invite his other teammates, his other _friends_ , on the same type of outings. She just never in her wildest dreams thought she would be asked alongside them like she had her very own leather outfit and secret identity as a member of the Avengers. She always thought Tony kept science and _work_ separate. Apparently she was wrong.

“I beg your pardon everyone but Mr. Stark would like me to inform you all that _you all suck_ and that he’s going for shawarma on his own. Those were his exact words,” JARVIS’s voice came through the room. A rather undignified snort came from the other side of Banner and when Alotte leaned forward she saw that it was in fact Agent Romanoff who had made the sound.

“Come on short shit let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving.”

“Ow, hey! Didn’t Tony just invite us out for food? I’m assuming that meant he was going to pay! And I’m most definitely _taller_ than Tony! I wanted to _stay_!”

“What makes you think he won’t be paying for this food as well? Just, let’s go!”

Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton disappeared down a hallway, their conversation falling quieter and quieter the farther the two bickering Agents got from the rest of them.

“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced ma’am, my name is Steven Rogers. I thought I knew everyone allowed access to these parts of the Tower,” Captain Rogers said formerly as he held out a hand in Alotte’s direction. Alotte opened her mouth to reply but Tony’s AI spoke first.

“Ms. Alotte Fjerstad is an ex Agent of SHIELD Mr. Rogers, and the late Mr. Coulson’s surrogate. She occupies her own floor of R &D below Doctor Banner’s. She’s been employed for some twelve weeks here, she designs and makes Mr. Barton’s equipment. And as of the end of her first week of employment Mr. Stark gave her full access to _all_ floors of the Tower. If you’d like I can supply you with her current address,” JARVIS replied in kind.

“ _All_?” Alotte and Captain Rogers spoke in unison.

“Yes, all,” JARVIS replied flatly. If an AI could speak with emotion JARVIS seemed to have an uncanny knack for it.

“You didn’t know that?” Banner asked from beside her, bringing her back to a grounded reality.

“Apparently not,” Alotte snorted in reply as she folded her arms across her chest and blew a chunk of hair off her face.

“I thought only Avengers had access to these floors, the living quarters and main area,” Captain Rogers continued in confusion.

“Sir, Ms. Fjerstad has access to _all_ floors as I’ve already stated. That includes Mr. Stark’s lab and workshop, the living quarters floors, as she has her own suite, and the main common area. All the floors of Avengers Tower,” JARVIS stated with a tone that Alotte could have sworn had a sigh in it.

“I have my own suite?” Alotte asked shocked.

“Yes ma’am, though Mr. Stark surmised that you wouldn’t use them as you rarely use the cot in your lab. But they’re there if you need want them,” JARVIS stated rather matter of factually, putting an end to that argument it seemed. The room stayed quiet after the AI ended the conversation without question. The only ones that seemed to not be surprised by JARVIS’ announcement were Banner and Thor. Though it could be said that Thor had not heard the AI’s words as Alotte watched the God of Thunder rummage through cupboards like he had done it many times before. A throat was cleared to Alotte’s left and she dragged her attention away from the rummaging deity to look beside her.

“Jarvis said you were Coulson’s surrogate. He was a great man and a friend of mine, I’d like to learn more if you’d care to share,” Captain Rogers said gently with his most perfect Captain America smile as he held an arm out for Alotte. With a bewildered nod and a half smile of her own Alotte took his offering and allowed him to lead her over to a couch in the center of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got mystery gifts left outside her window.  
> Bird Boy tripping over himself in her presence.  
> Steve offering a kind arm and wanting to pick her brain.  
> My, my, my...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is about 3 or so days late!  
> I got super sick with a mega cold, a nasty head cold!  
> Like the kind where I could sit at the angle I needed to be able to write and still be able to breathe.
> 
> But better late than never!  
> And I can breathe!  
> Mostly. . .

Alotte angrily wiped the tears away from her face as she pushed open the heavy door in front of her. The wind from outside lashed against her face, stinging the skin of her face made sensitive from crying. The wind this high up was intense and probably terrifying to most but she welcomed it’s fierceness. And she welcomed the fact that she’d find no others up here because of it. With a sniff and another wipe of her face Alotte let herself out onto the back roof, her lunch clutched to her chest so as not to lose it to the wind as the heavy door slammed shut behind her.

With careful footsteps Alotte traversed the odds and ends that occupied the rooftop, vents and other things that the building obviously needed to keep on doing whatever it did. Carefully Alotte worked her away across obstacles until she found a mostly sheltered place she could sit against. Arranging her things so they were mostly protected from the wind Alotte found herself making her way to the edge of the building. Bracing her legs against the ledge Alotte opened her arms wide to her sides and just let the wind buffet against her body. Eyes closed she breathed in the clean air, at least cleaner than it was down below as far up as she was on the roof of Avenger’s Tower. With a slow exhale Alotte opened her eyes and took in the sights around her, high rises shrouded by clouds, the sounds of the world below muted by the sheer distance separating it from her. Alotte’s love of heights always scared her parents when she was growing up, back before when her life had been simple and free of SHIELD. It always seemed to calm her, being up so high above everything. It cleared her mind, settled her nerves and allowed her to think. Though right now she really didn’t want to think, what she really wanted was for the wind to wipe her mind clean. Wipe it of all thoughts of her father being in the hospital hooked up to god knows what machines on the other side of the world. Her mother had told her to stay where she was, that her dropping her life to come sit in a small hospital room wasn’t going to make things any better. She had lost Coulson, the thought of losing her biological father as well was just a little more than she could take at the moment.

After a few minutes of peaceful bliss braced against the pounding merciless wind Alotte decided that it was enough for now. With a shuddering breath Alotte took herself away from the edge of the building and went back to where she had stashed her lunch. Curling up around her half take out half brown bagged lunch Alotte sighed into the brown bag. The wind whipped her hair about, this way and that, and as she was about ready to be thankful for the bandana she had tied around her head keeping her bangs out of her face when it was ripped from her head. Frantically Alotte grasped for the bandana as the wind took it, her attempt was futile but she flailed for it anyways.

*thwack*

Startled by the loud sound Alotte looked up and to her left only to see her bandana stuck to the side of a vent by an arrow. Whipping her head around frantically Alotte looked for her savior so to speak, startled by the idea that she hadn’t been alone up here. She had always come up onto the roof because she had believed no one would be around to see her, or like today- her tears. Finally Alotte saw a shadow shift and stand, taking on the shape and form of a man. Agent Barton. Course who else would it have been up on the roof using a bow and arrow with such perfect accuracy? Or using one at all for that matter.

“I’m- I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude, I thought no one would be up here. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’ll- I’ll just go,” Alotte started to apologize as she stood with her lunch and made to dislodge her bandana from the side of the vent. How could she have been so foolish? Of _course_ Agent Barton would be up here! She’d obviously disturbed the Avenger and now she felt like she couldn’t get out of his way fast enough.

“Did you know that traditional bow shafts were made of ash, beech and hazel? Or that the traditional English longbow took roughly eighty-one to one hundred and thirty pounds per force pull?” Alotte rambled as she gently fingered the arrow in her hands. “Oh god I’m rambling, I’m so sorry for disturbing you, it’s just that…”

“Youcanstay!”

Alotte stopped her rambling rant of apology word vomit to _actually_ look at Agent Barton.

“What?” Alotte asked slowly.

“I uh, I said you could stay,” Agent Barton replied, barely making fleeting eye contact.

“I can?” Alotte asked.

“Sure, I mean they’re not mine as they’re technically Tony’s. So you’re, you’re welcome to the rooftop as much as I am,” Agent Barton replied, coughs nervously periodically breaking up his statement as he continued to avoid hard eye contact.

“Okay,” Alotte replied kindly as she went to sit back down to eat her lunch, pulling the bag containing her food closer to her. She looked up again when she heard the loud creak of the huge heavy door opening into the rest of the Tower. Apparently Agent Barton was leaving the rooftop, leaving her to be alone as she had first wanted when her lunch began. All of a sudden she didn’t much feel like being alone.

“Don’t leave!” Alotte called out, stopping Agent Barton in his tracks, his hand still on the door handle.

“Stay. If I have the right to be up here so do you. I don’t want to kick you out or anything,” Alotte offered lamely. “Lunch?” Alotte asked as she held out half her hot pastrami on rye with avocado and brie. There was this amazing little sandwich place about a block and a half away from the Tower, a good brisk walk or a twenty minute drive if you wanted to drive or take a cab. They made the most amazing sandwiches and if she was awake enough in the mornings and was able to remember she stopped in on her way to work. They always said they’d deliver to the Tower if she wanted, even if just for one sandwich, but Alotte could never bring herself to ask such a ridiculous request.

“I swear it’s one of the best things you’ve ever tasted,” Alotte offered with a half smile before Agent Barton turned and walked back towards her, letting the door shut behind him.

“Here, I’ve got quite a bit packed in here,” Alotte offered as she began unpacking her endless brown paper lunch bag.

“How often do you come up here?” Alotte asked, halfway through her half of the large sandwich.

“Just about everyday,” Agent Barton answered rather directly, like he was answering his commanding officer.

“Really? But I never see you,” Alotte drawled out, her thoughts trailing as her words did.

“I generally don’t make much noise. And besides, you generally look like you want to be alone when you take lunch up here so I let you be just that,” Agent Barton offered with a shrug of his shoulders as he sliced up an apple with a knife he magicked out of thin air, offering slices to Alotte slyly by simply placing half of them on top of the brown paper bag like a plate.

“I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you, by coming up here,” Alotte offered as she took a slice of the apple.

“Like I said, it’s not my rooftop so you’re welcome to it as much as I am,” Agent Barton replied in kind.

“Alright then. As long as my company doesn’t send you running for the hills I’ll continue to take my lunch up here when I can,” Alotte offered with a partial smile to which Agent Barton answered with his own before dropping his eyes to the food in his hands.

**-xXx-**

“Soup? Seriously?” Agent Barton asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Seriously. Homemade too. Apparently Captain Rogers made too much and brought in the extra, there was a Tupperware container in my lab on my desk, Jarvis told me he had left it early this morning,” Alotte replied happily as she poured piping hot soup into two pilfered bowls. The soup had proved a quandary when she had first encountered it, as it was too much to eat at once and she didn’t have spare bowls just lying around in her lab. Or anything that could have been remotely used as a bowl. At that point Jarvis had interjected again, reminding her that she had access to the Avenger’s common living quarters and thus had access to bowls and other such things. And so she had quietly tip toed into the kitchen, still not quite secure in her new found access to everything in the Tower, swiped two bowls, microwaved the soup and had made her way up to the roof hoping Agent Barton would be up there.

“So you’re not only telling me that Steve _cooks_ but he owns _Tupperware_ as well? I don’t know if I believe you,” Agent Barton scoffed slightly and Alotte couldn’t help but snigger ever so slightly at his tone and inflection. Images of Captain Rogers in an apron at the stove surrounded by towers of leaning stacked Tupperware danced through Alotte’s mind.

The two of them enjoyed a peaceful, if yet still slightly awkward, silent lunch together again. A habit Alotte had found herself partaking in more and more, bringing up a lunch for two people onto the in the hopes that the other Agent would be there. Their time spent together wasn’t filled with much conversation, or eye contact, but what was shared was enough. Not enough for Alotte to find herself comfortable enough to call him anything other than Agent Barton like she did with Tony and Banner, but enough that she felt comfortable in his presence. Comfortable to take him up on his offer of help with her training. They’d done stretching and flexibility training up on the roof, the best they could amidst all the odd bits and pieces. He’d verbally given her tips on how to correct her stance for certain moves, though she still hadn’t managed to get it perfectly.

“Like I said before I understand aerodynamics a bit more than Hill does so I can show you some pointers on your stance if you’re still willing,” Agent Barton offered after they had finished stretching once their lunch was over.

“Isn’t that what we’ve been doing up here this entire time?” Alotte teased as she threw her hair up into a tighter bun, securing it in place with two broken pieces of a test arrow shaft she had created long ago. Agent Barton simply scoffed wordlessly in response as he readjusted his clothing into a more comfortable position for training.

“Alright, get into the stance we were working on yesterday,” Agent Barton spoke firmly as Alotte made her way into the cleared area they used for practice.

“Good, good. Now, let’s try something different. I’m going to put my hands on you,” Agent Barton spoke softly but with a commanding tone of someone used to giving orders but also taking them.

Alotte evened her breathing as she would for any other training session, calming her heart rate in order to open herself up to further instruction she could then permit to memory. She felt Agent Barton come up behind her as she inhaled, felt him place his hands on her hips. He pressed his hands ever so slightly against her hips, pressing his fingertips into her flesh as he began correcting her posture and stance. He used his thigh pressed against the back of her front one to adjust the width of her legs as she stood.

“Widen your legs a fraction. There, good. Now turn your hips ever so slightly to align with your new stance,” Agent Barton spoke softly against Alotte’s ear. The closeness of their proximity, their position, meant that Agent Barton’s mouth was directly behind her ear. Each in and out of his breath tickled against her skin, but it was his words that hummed against the edge of her ear that made her want to shiver.

“Good. Now shift your weight slightly more to your back foot,” Agent Barton breathed softly. 

Alotte couldn’t help herself. As she shifted her weight backwards onto her back foot, the motion pressing her body ever so slightly against his, she tilted her head back to expose more of her neck. It was an automatic response, not something she planned on doing but her body had acted on its own accord. Alotte exhaled softly when she felt Agent Barton’s grip soften out of teaching mode and begin to slide ever so slowly up her sides, from her hips up and up towards her ribs. She felt rather than heard the hitch in his breath as his hands slowly slid their way up the sides of her body, his hands moved so slowly and so shakily Alotte almost smiled. Or she would have if she wasn’t so hyper-focused on the way his hands moved.

“Agent Barton have you seen…”

Agent Barton leapt away from Alotte as if she was suddenly made of caustic fire, Alotte could feel the heat rising to her cheeks even though nothing untoward had been going on. And she was pretty sure that if they hadn’t looked to be in a compromising position before their awkward and suddenly jittery behavior would more than make up for it.

“Agent Fjerstad! We’ve been looking all over for you! You’re…”

“Alotte Fjerstad! Tiny child of the Old Gods I have found you for the tiny man of science!” Thor’s voice interrupted and echoed over the rooftop, his broad grin seemingly nonplussed by Agent Barton and Alotte’s awkward positions.

“Apparently I’ve got work to do,” Alotte sighed, her voice and words directed over her shoulder to the Avenger standing behind her without actually turning her head his direction.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See notes at the end for some info!

“Hey guys!” Alotte found herself laughing as she waved people over to where she was eating up on the roof. Ever since the day she had been found by Thor and Simon, the original scientist who had been looking for her, her secret had come out of the bag so to speak. Ever since then her new daily lunches on the roof had become the popular place for meal breaks. Every lunch time people showed up bringing their own lunches or something to share. Mostly it was Thor, Banner and Captain Rogers but the occasional other scientist did show up. Most of the other white coat grunts like Alotte herself found being around the Avengers in such a concentrated fashion a little more than intimidating. Though the original scientist who had looked for her that fateful day on the roof was one of the few that stuck it out, almost every day. He even brought food to share at least twice a week, which was nice as sometimes Captain Rogers toting stacks of matching Tupperware containers was a bit much.

“Captain Rogers when do you find the time took?” Alotte laughed as he unloaded an _actual_ honest to god picnic basket.

“Seriously Capsicle, the only person on more missions than you is Nat and that’s saying something,” Banner chimed in with a chuckle as he started unwrapping the pickle plate he had brought to the lunch gathering. Alotte chuckled to herself as _both_ Captain Rogers and Agent Barton raised eyebrows in the direction of a clueless Banner who was licking pickle juice off of his fingers. Alotte got the joke as she had heard Tony refer to Captain Rogers as Capsicle _many_ times, even if the Avenger wasn’t even in the building. It was just funny to hear Banner using the nickname so nonchalantly.

“I brought cookies!” came a voice from behind a roof vent.

“Please tell me you got those dark ginger cookies from that place a few blocks over!” Alotte called out excitedly, clasping her hands together hopefully.

“Fresh out of the oven and still warm in the bag!” the voice called back as it made its way closer to the mini gathering.

“Simon I love you!” Alotte called out, her eyes wide and bright as she made grabby hands towards her fellow lab coat as he finally appeared with his treats in tow. So caught up in the arrival of Simon and his cookies that no one saw Barton look down sadly at his cupcakes from Sprinkles before he pushed them into a shadow to be forgotten about.

“Why do I feel like I never get invited to these things,” came Tony’s voice loudly over the sudden thrust of wind and sound of the Iron Man boosters as the suit landed on the roof.

“It’s really not an invite kind of thing. Besides you’re always holed up in your workshop and you never eat so…” Captain Rogers drawled out without really finishing.

“I invite people to eat _all_ the time! None of you ever want to go!” Tony huffed as we stepped out of his armor, the lot of it flying off somewhere secret more than likely. Alotte joined everyone else in raising a quizzical brow Tony’s direction, causing the billionaire to huff quite un-gentlemanly like.

“Fine, let’s test this theory. We’ll start with you Lottie,” Tony said as he turned to face Alotte. She just gave him her best _try me_ look, though part of her wanted to smile at the familiar nickname. Tony had picked it up some time back after he had whined about how damn difficult her name was and how he wished she had a smaller one. She had then taken the opportunity to tell him what she had been called at SHIELD and he had run with it, never looking back once.

“Lottie, what do you think? Shawarma and drinks after the closing bell tonight?” Tony asked, tone reflecting that he already knew the answer as he crossed his arms across his chest.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Alotte chimed in before biting into one of the many pickles from Banner’s offering plate.

“ _What_? You’re only saying yes because I said you’d say no! That’s cheating! You’re flushing the scientific data with false positives, this theory is now corrupt! I demand a do over!” Tony muttered angrily with a dramatic flail of his arms.

“Oh come on Tony, usually I’m swamped with work and exhausted whenever you ask! Today I’m not, so let’s do this!” Alotte replied cheerfully as she looked at the others around her only to be met with nods of agreement.

“Are you a mutant? Are you controlling their minds?” Tony asked as leaned into Alotte’s personal space, bringing his face ridiculously close to hers as if that would aid in his inspection of her supposed mutant powers.

“Yes Tony, I’m controlling their minds. Eat a damn pickle, it’s Banner’s,” Alotte sighed as she shoved something bright yellow at Tony’s mouth. Tony simply glared for a moment before dramatically opening his mouth and biting onto the pickled vegetable like some sort of creature.

“So you’re in Capsicle? Brucey? Sorry dude in the white coat I don’t invite people I don’t know, or like. There’s a height limit to ride this party ride and you’re two inches too short my friend,” Tony stumbled over his muffled mouth full, his chewing coming across clearer than his words.

“Anyone else? Merida I assume you have super sneaky things to do like crawling around in dusty ventilation ducts so you’ll decline as always, you wanna send Nat a text for me or something?” Tony asked as he continue to shovel Banner’s pickles into his mouth as fast as his hand eye coordination would allow.

“Actually I’ll go,” Agent Barton replied shortly.

Everyone stared on in shocked silence, though Simon’s silence seemed more to be out of confusion as to what was going on around him. Nobody moved, it even seemed like nobody breathed until the spell was broken by Tony flinging a pickle directly at Agent Barton’s face. The cornichon bounced harmlessly off his nose and onto the archer’s lap.

“Shut your mouth! Who are you and what have you done with my sulky anti-social bird boy?” Tony asked incredulously. No one spoke a single word, not a breath was uttered in fear of missing this response. Even Alotte knew Agent Barton was famous for not attending any of the social outings unless he was ordered to.

“I, uh-”

“Friends! I have brought Pop-Tarts!” Thor’s voice boomed in the silence, breaking the stare off enough that everyone was able to inhale. “And lo! A hidden box of those small cakes of the cup variety, what joy! Tony man of iron did you just lob at me a pickled vegetable?” Thor asked as he picked up the item in question before popping it into his mouth. 

“Mmm, tasty!” Thor smacked loudly as he licked his fingers before stepping over a large obstruction only to plop his body down gracefully beside Agent Barton. It took the God no time at all to notice the weird feeling of his usually joyous lunch repast with his friends.

“Man of the Hawk have you said something to offend all those gathered here?” Thor finally asked.

“I-I, I didn’t think so initially but apparently I could be very wrong in that assessment,” Agent Barton added with a nervous laugh as he looked around at everyone.

“Pray tell what words did you speak?” Thor asked as he ripped into a box of Pop-Tarts.

“I just said I’d go out tonight with everyone after work,” Agent Barton replied sheepishly.

“Wonderful! We shall all attend this! I have yet to share mead with my Alotte Fjerstad, this will do nicely!” Thor laughed loudly as he reached across Agent Barton to pat Alotte on the back with enough force to send her forward. This seemed to break the magical hold on everyone so lunch could continue as it had been intended.

**-xXx-**

“Here, Miss Fjerstad,” Captain Rogers offered as he opened the car door for Alotte, only mostly butchering her last name.

“You can just call me Alotte or Lottie like everyone else, it saves from embarrassment of fumbling over my last name. Agent also works if you’re of the same mind as Tony,” Alotte replied with a smile as she took the Avenger’s provided hand, letting him help her from the car even though she didn’t need it.

“As long as you call me Steve,” Captain Rogers answered in kind, shutting the door he had held open for her, paying no mind that he had shut it on Agent Barton’s face as he had been next to get out of the car after Alotte. Hence he missed the scathing look the archer had sent his direction and the furrowed brows he had when he noticed Captain Roger’s holding Alotte’s hand.

“I, uh. I don’t know,” Alotte replied nervously, holding back the nervous laughter that bubbled in her throat.

“Why? I have seen you refer to Tony and Banner by their given names. You don’t even give Thor a title and he seems a bit more entitled to it than I do,” Captain Rogers questioned with a quirk of his mouth as he held open the door to the bar Tony had decided they’d visit after shawarma.

“I know Bruce and Tony, we’re all scientists. Which kind of makes us a family of a sorts. Plus, Tony is my boss and I’m pretty sure he’d fire me if I called him anything other than his first name. And Bruce is Tony’s, uhh, _best friend_ so I’m pretty sure Tony would fire me for the same reasons there too. Besides, Tony spends so much time skulking about my lab and poking his fingers into my work that I don’t think I could show him the kind of respect a title demands,” Alotte chuckled, not mind so much that Captain Rogers still had a hold of her hand and arm even though they were long since inside the bar.

“And Thor?” Captain Rogers asked with an artfully arched eyebrow.

“Would you argue with the God who demanded informality?” Alotte asked with her own raised brow, though not quite so artfully as his.

“You’ve got me there Miss… Alotte. How about I’ll work on dropping my formality if you promise to work on calling me Steve. I’ll even make sure to stop by your lab and throw papers around if that will make it easier,” Captain Rogers offered with a smile as the two of them finally reached the end of the second bar that was tucked further in the back of the bar.

“It’s a deal,” Alotte answered with a laugh and then after a pause, “Steve.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” Steve smiled in return as he pulled out the tall chair at the edge of the bar for Alotte. With a similar smile Alotte took the offered chair but made to scoot herself in closer on her own, placing her wallet phone case in her lap. Why she’d bother to bring it was beyond her, it’s not like she was going to get carded when out with this group and it wasn’t like she was going to have a chance to even pay for her own drinks let alone anything else when out with Tony. Say what you will about the man, but he always made sure to take care of his own.

“The places Tony picks am I right?” Agent Romanoff blurted with a playful sound of disgust as she slipped into the chair next to Alotte.

“See? No respect, am I right bird boy?” Tony scoffed as he took the seat next to Agent Romanoff and made to signal for a bartender. Agent Barton replied with a noncommittal nonverbal reply as he took the seat at the far end, the one where he could keep his back to a wall and be able to see the entire room and all exits and entrances. Alotte smiled a bit to herself as she watched him perch up on his bar chair, almost like he’s sitting on the top edge of it instead of sitting in it. His mannerisms always taking on that of some form of bird of prey, it was no wonder Tony always made so much fun of him.

“Eloquent as always Clint,” Tony muttered with a shake of his head as he waved a bartender over finally.

“What can I get you all?” the bartender asked as he arrived in front of them, his eyes only barely portraying his shock when he discovered who his patrons for the night were.

“Ladies first. Lottie?” Steve asked, his arm resting a respectful distance away from her back on the top of her chair.

“I’ll take a Blue Moon if you have it on tap,” Alotte answered the bartender, her ears going a little pink at the tips at Steve’s old fashioned behavior and courtesy.

“Sixteen or twenty-two ounce?” the bartender asked, obviously making a mental rather than physical list of the drinks needed for their group.

“Twenty-two would be great,” Alotte answered with a smile.

“Well chosen tiny child of the Old Gods! We shall drink well together!” Thor boomed from the other side of Bruce, placing him at the far end of their group. Everyone laughed before giving the bartender their own drink orders. Alotte placed her hands up on the bar when the bartender placed napkins or beer mats in front of them all, she tended to fidget but she figure now was not the best time to bring out her mad beer mat flipping skills. At least not at this early point in the evening.

**-xXx-**

“That’s a pretty ring Alotte, where did you get it?” Agent Romanoff asked as she watched Alotte try to teach everyone how to flip beer mats. The night had gone smashingly by Alotte’s standards, what standards they were. She hadn’t really many friends during her time with SHIELD, not many opportunities to go out to the bar with people or friends for a light hearted night of social drinking. And this night had been good by any standards she could even dream of. Thor had been loud and boisterous, regaling them all with comical stories of his home. Tony had been trying his hardest to embarrass Alotte she was sure, with how he kept going on and on about her accomplishments, bragging like some overly proud parent. Steve had treated her with all the odd respect a gentleman of his time would but still trying to keep the informality he had asked for. It had been worth it for Alotte though when she saw his face the first time she had unexpectedly belched, feeling comfortable enough with those around her to not try and hold it in. Bruce had been trying to explain some scientific theory to Thor using beer peanuts much to the God’s continual confusion before the golden Avenger had just swept all the peanuts off the bar and into his loud mouth. That had ended any and all work or shop talk for the night.

“I made it actually!” Alotte replied happily. “I used some wire I had lying about and the pebble is one of my favorite pebble gifts!”

“Pebble gifts?” Agent Romanoff asked she chewed on the end of her brightly colored drink umbrella.

“It’s my favorite one of the many gifts I’ve received over the past few months,” Alotte replied.

“From who?” the assassin Avenger asked, interest peaked as she continued to inspect the ring up close, still on Alotte’s as it were.

“You know, I don’t actually know. They’ve just appeared every morning or so like clockwork, just sitting outside on my window sill or fire escape, for the past few months or so,” Alotte answered with a shrug.

“Interesting,” Agent Romanoff replied flatly as she put Alotte’s hand back down and stared directly at Agent Barton still down at the far end of the bar. As quiet as he’d been most people had forgotten he was down there, silently keeping watch over his flock and joining in on conversation when he felt he could offer something of import. He paled immediately when Agent Romanoff pierced him with a deadly fixed stare even though she kept talking to Alotte as if nothing was up.

“Is the feather in your hair piece another one of these _window sill_ gifts?” Agent Romanoff asked, never taking her eyes off the withering Agent Barton who was doing his best impression of a dying man.

“Yeah actually,” Alotte replied with a smile at the other female Agent, never noticing Agent Barton slithering down his seat as if he was trying to melt and hide beneath the bar as her back was to him.

“Do you know if this feather means anything or what bird it’s from?” Alotte asked as she fiddled with the feather and hairpiece she had clipped in her hair, she had forgotten she had clipped it in this morning before work.

“No, not a clue,” Agent Romanoff replied, focusing her eyes and attention back fully on Alotte, blatantly ignoring the squeak of distress from her best friend and comrade in arms at the other end of the bar.

**-xXx-**

“So. Fancy you coming out tonight. How _peculiar_ ,” Agent Romanoff spoke in a hushed tone to her best friend, knowing her volume level was so that only he would hear her.

“Can it Nat,” Agent Barton replied from beside her as the two of them made up the tail end of the party as they finally left the bar, long after normal bar close hours. Leave it to Tony to get a bar to stay open way passed the legal closing time just so they could drink longer even though there was plenty of booze back at the Tower. The archer’s eyes were focused on the two in front of him, Steve and Alotte.

“I’d like to see you for lunch tomorrow if that would be ok with you Lottie,” came Steve’s quiet voice.

“Sure, I’ll probably be up on the roof as always,” Alotte replied with a smile.

“No, uhh, I thought maybe we could go _out_ to lunch. Just the two of us. I’d uhm, I’d love to hear more about Coulson, the Coulson as you knew him that is,” Steve finished hurriedly.

“Sure,” Alotte answered with a bigger smile as she once again took the arm Steve offered as he held the door open for her once again.

“ _Uhh-umm_ ,” Agent Romanoff muttered as she cleared her throat and elbowed Agent Barton in the ribs.

“What?” Agent Barton whispered back only to see his best friend frantically pointing back and forth between Steve and Alotte as she gave him a pointed look.

“Fuck off Nat!” Agent Barton hissed before he elbowed her in the ribs just she had done to him.

“Ow!” Nat exclaimed dramatically, loud enough so both Steve and Alotte looked back at her. She placed a hand to her ribs with flair. “It’s not nice to elbow a lady in the ribs,” she exclaimed just as dramatically before hugging her arms around her midsection and ribs. Agent Barton simply scoffed in reply with a roll of his eyes as Steve gave him a disapproving look and Alotte just raised an eyebrow at him. The last one caused him to stop and look at the floor, and anywhere else, sheepishly.

“Chicken shit,” Agent Romanoff whispered once Alotte and Steve were outside the bar. Agent Barton simply punched her in the arm and left the bar, purposefully making sure the door closed on her as she made to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the serious lapse in updates guys. Recently we ran into some trouble, and by that I mean trouble ran into us. We’re fine. And so because of that the money I had saved for Christmas was put to fixing everything, and because of this I am having to make my presents. Which means all my spare time has gone into that instead of writing. So I apologize not only for this long wait but also for the short length of these updates. Know that once I am done with my presents I’ll be back in force. Know that I love you all dearly and I hope you have a wonderful holiday, whichever of the ones it is you celebrate!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people have faith.  
> Some people do not.  
> Some people are touched by the Gods.  
> Some people are not.
> 
> Alotte Fjerstad was not intending to have her work as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent bring her to the verge of a crisis of faith.  
> Nor was she planning on having the words of the midwife present at her birth come to such a literal fruition.  
> Alotte Fjerstad was a good Agent, she was irreplaceable at her job she'd like to think, and she had a healthy love of heights.
> 
> The last thing she needed was a hole opening up over New York and aliens attacking to bring it all to a fiery end.  
> Or so she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See the note at the end...

Alotte had been in such a rush that morning she had forgotten to pack a lunch, not only that but she had forgotten her wallet as well. Come lunch time when her stomach had made itself known by grumbling very loudly she had found herself rummaging around her office, opening every drawer for spare change. It had been at that point that Jarvis had chimed in with a friendly reminder that she had access to the kitchen upstairs on the private floors. With a sheepish buy very grateful thank you to Tony’s AI Alotte slide her card into the elevator and pushed the key code to get her upstairs that far. It still astounded her that Tony had granted her this access, into the private lives of those he worked with. Did he even ask them ahead of time if it was okay with them, this intrusion into their personal lives and space? Obviously not as Captain Am-, _Steve_ , had been just as flummoxed as her when Jarvis had explained it to everyone. 

Why her? It couldn’t be because she created Agent Barton’s flotilla of arrows and weapons as there were plenty of scientists in the Tower who worked on Avengers equipment. And while she was the only one who did what she did for Agent Barton, she did have scientists who worked with and under her supervision to help her. None of them had been granted the type of access she had. Was it because of her connection to Coulson? He had been so important to the heroes that that would make sense. It couldn’t be her association with SHIELD, that would more than likely work against her she figured. A black mark in her book so to speak, in their eyes at least. 

She was still lost in thought when the elevator chimed its arrival and the door slid open. Startled, Alotte temporarily forgot what she was doing until she smelled something delicious coming from the direction of the kitchen, if her memory served her right, and her stomach took this moment to grumble loudly _again_. Timidly Alotte stepped out of the lift and took a hesitant step into the private quarters, for the second time since she started working here. Part of her mind wondered briefly if Jarvis controlled the elevators too, as the door hadn’t closed on her when she had been standing there trying to talk herself into walking out. The other part of her mind though was mostly focused on the cursing and loud sniffles coming from the kitchen. Was someone crying? Alotte couldn’t decide between making her presence known to whomever was in there or sneaking up quietly to asses the situation. She chose a combination of the two and just simply walked in normally, or at least as normal as she could muster.

As she rounded the corner she was met by the muscled back of someone bent over the counter and a cutting board, sniffling as they continued to cut up whatever it was they were working on. Muscles moved beneath a faded t-shirt and immediately Alotte knew who it was before the tousled head of blonde hair came into view, Alotte was very familiar with the muscles it took to pull back the strings of one of her creations. Clearing her throat Alotte made to make herself known to Agent Barton in a way to save themselves both some embarrassment. But it didn’t seem to work, he didn’t notice she was there. Alotte did it a little louder as she took steps to bring herself more into the kitchen, figuring his senses would pick up on her. But he didn’t. Alotte watched as muscled arms came up to wipe at his eyes, giving her a clear view of his cutting board and suddenly everything made sense. Patting herself down Alotte dug around in the many pockets of the lab coat she was still wearing and finally found what she was looking for. Triumphantly she opened it and held it out towards the archer.

“Here,” Alotte said softly, not wanting to startle the Avenger. Again that didn’t seem to work. Had she done something so offensive to Agent Barton that he was outright ignoring her? Giving it one more try Alotte reached out further and tapped her hand and the proffered gift against his shoulder. At that Agent Barton _finally_ noticed her, jumping around as if truly startled he met her eyes with his own wide on his face. They were red like he’d been crying, which obviously he had been.

“I’m s-sorry, I tried getting your attention but you never heard me,” Alotte offered lamely. Agent Barton ran a hand through his messy hair before chuckling and touching his ear before letting his hands drop down to his sides.

“Sorry, I had my ears off. Did you need, uhh, something?” Agent Barton finished sheepishly before looking anywhere except at Alotte for a moment. Ears off?

“Oh I was hungry but forgot my lunch and my wallet and Jarvis reminded me of my use of the kitchen, so I came up here. I saw your predicament and figured I could offer you a trick I learned from Coulson,” Alotte offered with a half smile as she waved her gift around again.

“Gum?” Agent Barton asked confused as he took the silver wrapped piece from Alotte.

“If you chew it while cutting onions it helps you not tear up! So does rinsing them before you cut them,” Alotte explained. 

“Huh,” Agent Barton replied before popping the gum into his mouth and turning back to his task at hand.

“What happened to your face?” Alotte asked after a few moments of awkward and bored silence as Agent Barton continued to chop his way through the mountain of onions.

“Hmm?” Agent Barton asked as he turned his head just slightly over his shoulder towards Alotte.

“The band-aid. Across your cheek,” Alotte supplied, motioning at her own cheek to mime its position on his face.

“Oh. Yeah. I’m kinda clumsy,” Agent Barton supplied offhandedly. 

Alotte found herself making a very indignant sound in the back of her throat, the idea of Agent Barton being clumsy was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. Even if he was the one who said it. She’d seen him move, hell her life was centered around studying how the man moved. Clumsy was not a word one would ever associate with Agent Barton.

“You probably just got beat up by Agent Romanoff and don’t want to fess up that you got beat by a girl,” Alotte snorted without really realizing who in fact she was talking to. Or about for that matter. It was Agent Barton’s turn to scoff.

“Hey!” he started loudly as he turned to face Alotte.

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“No I mean, hey this actually works! The gum trick!” Agent Barton interrupted Alotte and turned to smile at her. Alotte sat stunned for a moment, not because she didn’t catch what he had said when he had stopped her sudden rambling of excuses, but because he was actually _smiling_ at her. She couldn’t remember if he had ever done that before, he’d always been all business like. Always in Avenger or Agent or teacher mode when she was around or involved. At least as far as she knew. But Alotte hadn’t been trained her whole life for nothing, she was able to control herself quick enough to return his smile.

“Told you!” Alotte supplied as her smile got bigger. They smiled at each other for a bit longer before Agent Barton remembered he had something more important he had to be doing then socializing with Alotte and went back to cutting his onions.

“There’s food in the fridge and freezer, both pantries are fully stocked. Though the Pop Tarts are more than likely empty again. There should be plenty of stuff for you to choose from, or if you’re not really in a hurry you can have some of what I’m making. I was gonna bring it up to the roof for lunch, I may not be a cook like Steve but I make a mean jambalaya. It’s gonna take a bit so if you’re interested I’d suggest grabbing a snack first,” Agent Barton rambled off.

“Sure,” Alotte replied as she slipped off her stool and went to the fridge beside the agent. As she opened it and rummaged through its contents the idea of this all being very _domestic_ struck her and she had to remind herself not to snigger out loud for fear of having to explain it. Instead she opened up the drawer labeled fruit and grabbed out an apple before grabbing some cheese as well.

“Careful with this, I don’t want to end up missing body parts,” Agent Barton offered cheekily as he held out a new clean knife for Alotte. With a scoff that was more of a sniff of indignation Alotte took the offered knife and went back to her stool to have her snack. She’d barely made it halfway into her apple before she heard the elevator's doors open and close before hearing delicate steps of someone approaching. Agent Romanoff based off of the sound of the footfalls, too delicate to be anyone larger.

“Hey Nat, you’ll never guess what I did!” Agent Barton called out. Agent Romanoff made some sort of noncommittal grunt of a noise, it could have been in reply or it could have been something else.

“I’m cutting onions and not crying! Wanna know why?” Agent Barton called out as Agent Romanoff cleared the corner and made it into the kitchen. She was focused on what looked like mail in her hands, rifling through it, reading the front of each piece before moving onto the next one. Wait, did the Avengers get mail like normal people? Regardless she never even paused to look up.

“Because you’re dead on the inside?” Agent Romanoff replied as she binned the letters she had deemed unimportant, barely raising an eyebrow at Alotte when she finally noticed her sitting there, half eaten apple slice stopped mid way to her mouth. Agent Barton scoffed in reply but Alotte could see the smile on his lips, much more than the one he had given her. Was _that_ a real Barton smile? The one he tucked over his pile of chopped onions and now other vegetables?

“When did you put your ears on anyways?” Agent Romanoff asked as she hopped up onto the counter besides Agent Barton and snuck a still uncut stick of celery from him to snack on.

“After she scared the beejesus out of me,” Agent Barton replied with a motion of his head over his shoulder at Alotte. Alotte felt the need to hide somewhere when Agent Romanoff pinned her to her seat with a fixed gaze.

“Huh,” Agent Romanoff simply responded before leaning back against the cabinet behind her. “Must have been stimulating in here with just the two of you, the both of you speak so much when together none of the rest of us can get a word in edgewise,” Agent Romanoff deadpanned as she bit into her celery stick.

Alotte’s mouth opened as if to speak in response but no words found their way out to help. Agent Barton simply grunted before moving too quick for Alotte to have followed even if she had been paying attention.

“You know Stark is going to have a hissy fit over the mark on the wall,” Agent Romanoff replied nonchalantly as she pulled the small paring knife out of the wall to the side of her head. Casually she tossed into the air, flipping the blade end over end a few times before sending it down with deadly aim straight up and down into the cutting board in front of Agent Barton. He simply grunted in response again as Alotte stared on with her jaw hanging open.

“So eloquent. So as I was saying- hey wait, what are you doing up here anyways?” Agent Romanoff cut herself off to point her celery stick at Alotte in an accusatory manner.

“Uh, I uh. I mean I came up here at Jarvis’ behest. I needed something to eat for lunch. I thought, I mean Jarvis said it was ok…” Alotte stumbled, her ears suddenly becoming hot.

“No, no, no. I get that. I knew you had clearance up here about a minute after Stark put it into the system. I _meant_ what you doing up here _now_? Don’t you have a lunch date with…” Agent Romanoff explained only to drop off her words when new footsteps were heard approaching the kitchen. Alotte hadn’t heard the elevator arrive so that meant it was someone who was already on the floor.

“Speak of the devil,” Agent Romanoff seemed to finish as broad blonde shoulders rounded their way into the kitchen.

“Barton, Nat,” Steve acknowledged both agents with a nod of his head before seeing Alotte on her stool.

“Agen- Alotte. I was just coming to find you actually, wasn’t expecting to find you in here though. You didn’t forget did you?” Steve asked with an award winning half smile.

“In all honesty? Yes. This morning just wasn’t my day and in my frazzed state I totally blanked on our lunch date. But I’m good to go now if you’d like, I’m famished!” Alotte replied with a genuine smile. Captain America, or Steve as she had been practicing on calling him, had a contagious way about him that made you want to smile when he did.

“Do you need a jacket or will your lab coat be enough?” Steve asked with a wry glint in his eyes as he motioned towards the lab coat Alotte was _still_ wearing.

“Oh fuck me,” Alotte whispered to herself as she looked down at her lap and chest.

“Seriously Steve? Nothing? Not a single _language_ at all? So not fair,” Agent Romanoff clucked from her perch still on the counter. “Leave it here, I’ll make sure it gets back into your lab,” Agent Romanoff supplied as she gestured at the coat.

“Thank you Agent Romanoff,” Alotte replied in earnest as she slipped out of it, hoping her work clothes would suffice for a lunch out with the infamous Captain America.

“Romanoff will suffice Alotte,” Agent Romanoff interjected as Alotte folded her lab coat and placed it on the stool before smoothing out her clothes.

“Alright. Romanoff,” Alotte replied with a thoughtful face, still trying to figure out how that made her feel. At least it was her last name she was asking Alotte to call her by, and not her first like Steve was insisting on.

“So I figured if you were okay with it we could just take my bike to lunch. I have an extra helmet that should fit you. Or if not we could just walk as it is nice out,” Steve supplied and for a moment Alotte’s mind didn’t work. Bike? Bike? Like bicycle? Looking at Steve and taking in his well fitting jeans, fitted white t-shirt and well worn in brown leather jacket he most definitely did _not_ mean a bicycle! Or that’s right!

“Oh you mean your motorcycle!” Alotte spoke out loud when it finally clicked into place in her head.

“Yeah, that won’t be a problem will it?” Steve asked nervously. Sitting snugly against the back of Captain America with her arms and legs wrapped tight to him so she didn’t fall off?

“No that’s perfect!” Alotte replied with a huge smile only to receive one of his award winning ones in return. This was going to be a good day it seemed.

“Shall we?” Steve asked as he held out an arm for Alotte to take as he had the night before.

“We shall,” Alotte laughed softly in response to the question and gesture. Looping her arm with his Alotte made to exit the kitchen and living quarters of the Avengers before she stopped in her tracks only a few steps in.

“Shit. I can’t. I left my wallet at home this morning, that’s why I ended up up here,” Alotte spoke regretfully as she unwound her arm from Steve’s.

“It doesn’t matter, I hadn’t intended on letting you pay anyway,” Steve laughed as he took the initiative to link their arms again. Alotte simply blinked at him.

“What?” Alotte managed to blurt out.

“That’s the beauty of being frozen in the ice for seventy odd years, my manners stayed intact while the rest of the world lost theirs,” Steve supplied with a wink as he steered the still slightly stunned Alotte towards the elevators.

Back forgotten in the kitchen Romanoff nudged Agent Barton on the shoulder with her elbow before gesturing towards the retreating Avenger and Agent.

“Whatever it is you think you know Nat, you really don’t,” Agent Barton supplied without looking up from his onions which were almost finished at this point.

“Pffft, I know everything Clint and you know it. Maybe you’re just not as quick on the uptake as you used to be. Too bad, being slow in these types of situations is the kiss of death,” Romanoff teased as Agent Barton grumbled.

“You’re no longer the best with a knife in the Tower Nat, maybe the rest of your skills are waning as well,” Agent Barton replied as he dumped his completely diced onions into a bowl before moving onto the carrots, leaving the celery still within snacking distance of Nat in case he’d gone too far and needed her placated.

“Practice room an hour after lunch, we’ll see whose skills are not the best anymore you fuckin penguin,” Romanoff sniffed before delicately removing herself from the counter and leaving the kitchen area.

“It better be spicy enough to choke out Tony, Clint! Or I won’t go easy on you in the practice ring!” Romanoff yelled into the kitchen as she found a suitable chair and reading material in the living room to occupy her time until lunch was ready.

“Jarvis, keep an eye on Steve and Alotte if you would please,” Romanoff spoke nonchalantly into the living room.

“Already on it miss, sir has me watch Ms. Alotte as soon as she leaves the building,” Jarvis replied.

“Hmmm, interesting. She’s not an Avenger, so what’s with Tony all of a sudden? It’s not like she can’t defend herself, she’s not necessarily a nobody but she’s so far below the radar I don’t ever see Hydra ever coming after her,” Romanoff listed off as she flipped through pages of the book she had picked up.

“If I may interject miss I think it may have something to do with her connection to Agent Coulson, sir took his death pretty hard. Perhaps he sees Ms. Alotte as a second chance at protecting the man in a way,” Jarvis surmised to the red headed agent.

“Hmmm, interesting. Could you compile some information for me Jarvis and just keep it between the two of us?” Romanoff asked the AI.

“I suppose it would be easier to agree now then to have you poking about where you shouldn’t like you normally do. So as long as it isn’t dangerous or anything I don’t see why I can’t help stop a potentially disastrous plan,” Jarvis replied with just enough snark that Romanoff found the corner of her mouth lifting at the AI’s response. Tony had made him well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for all of this crazy lapsed time between updates guys.  
> Life for me got pretty crazy.  
> Like bad crazy.  
> Upheaval style.  
> I busted my hand and was out of the writing game for a while, because it's kind of impossible and infuriating to type/write with only one freaking hand! And rather then get pissed at my writing and never come back to it I stepped away to heal.
> 
> But here we go again!

**Author's Note:**

> Alright ladies, gents and beings in between...  
> This is my first Avengers fic EVER.  
> And I'm terrified no one is going to like how I'm spinning my tale/my take on the universe.  
> We shall see.  
> Love you all!!!


End file.
